Season 4 My Version
by SpyMaster
Summary: Season 4 - My version. Title says it all really. 13 episodes, some better than others. Complete! Warning! Some content may be unsuitable for some, read authors notes for warnings.
1. You can't hurry love

**Episode**  
1/12 You can't hurry love

**Review**  
Jill gives Gordon his answer. A young girl with amnesia is admitted but later disappears leaving people worried about her safety and a mysterious smell assails the hospital. The first in the brand new series of the rural 60's medical drama

**Cast list**  
Robert Daws, Amy Robbins, Linda Armstrong, Paul Fox, Polly Maberly, John Axon, Ian Carmichael, Wendy Craig, Michael Starke, Andy Wear Daniel Feltham and Sophie Foster

* * *

Jill is looking at Gordon in complete shock, of all the things he could have said, he said that. It wasn't that she hadn't been expecting it, he had tried to ask her before, but he hadn't actually asked. She could see the apprehension in his eyes, he thought that she would say yes, expected it even but there was always that doubt. Perhaps he had taken the last time to be a refusal, it hadn't been, it was just complicated. 

"Jill, will you marry me?" Gordon repeated, it had seemed to him like an eternity since he'd asked before, yet it couldn't have been that long as the kid's were still chasing Henry's car down the road.

"Oh Gordon, don't you think it's a bit soon eh?" Jill said softly. Gordon looked at her, why was she saying that? They'd been together a fair while now, they lived together, marriage would just cement their relationship, make it more permanent, though Gordon had no doubts about it lasting, did she? Is that why?

"There's nothing to stand in our way anymore, nothing. Everyone excepts us, even Henry." Gordon gestured down the drive in the direction Henry had gone. "It would just cement it, make it more permanent, not that it needs it. I have no doubts about us lasting, do you?" Jill thought about what he'd just said, it made a lot of sense, she knew deep down this was going to last, why did she always have to be so damned careful? "The kids love you," Gordon continued "I know you don't want to take the place of their mother, but you won't, I promise you. Will you marry me?" Gordon paused, he didn't know what else to say. Jill knew that he'd said quite enough, that she should have listened to her heart instead of head.

"Yes, everything you . ." Jill got cut off because Gordon kissed her.

"You had me worried there for a minute," Gordon smiled, _'Dring, dring. Dring, dring'_ the telephone rang from inside the house. Gordon groaned "We're not late, I'm not due in until 9.30 and you have house calls."

"It might not be the hospital" Jill suggested

"Want to bet? Omerod. Hi Lizzie," Gordon greeted turning to give Jill a _'I told you so' _look, "okay I'll be there as soon as I can. Jeff got called on an emergency and a young girl just turned up in casualty and collapsed. See you later." Gordon kissed Jill goodbye and picked up his bag, "bye kids." he shouted at Tom and Katie, they were playing in the garden chasing each other around, what a sight to see.

* * *

By the time Gordon got to the royal Jeff had arrived back, he was more than pleased to see Gordon though because he was stumped. He couldn't find any reason through examination for why the girl had collapsed nor why she was still unconscious. What annoyed him even more was the fact that Lucy Kline was watching his every move, he knew he'd messed up with that postnatal depression case, but everyone makes mistakes, she just couldn't except that and seemed sure he was going to make another. It pleased him when Gordon announced that he couldn't see any reason either, Jeff had already taken some blood and sent it for analysis. It would be a case of wait a see, but she was still unconscious. 

"Lucy, come and have a look at this please will you?" Gordon asked making Jeff scowl darkly, "Neither Jeff nor myself can see any reason for her to be unconscious at all, let alone still, it's been what 15 minutes now. We've sent for a blood test but that'll take awhile, any suggestions."

"Have you got a name?" Lucy asked, examining the girl.

"No, no ID, she can't be more than 15 so it probably won't be long. We've informed the police." Gordon replied, "Any ideas?" Lucy was about to answer when the girl stirred slightly, a minute later and she was conscious.

"Hello, I'm Dr Goodwin, you're at the royal. Can you tell me your name please?" Jeff asked, the girl looked blankly back at him, "Your name?" Jeff asked this time louder, you never know, she might be deaf. The reply came then but it was so quiet no-one caught it, the girl soon repeated it though.

"I don't know."

* * *

The kid without a name was put on Fawcett ward, Sister Bridget was asked to keep a special eye on her. Gordon, Jeff and Lucy went to reception and got some coffee, while they discussed the case. 

"Amnesia, it's got to be." Jeff commented

"I disagree," Lucy began, "She had no head injury. Yes I guess you could say at some level she has amnesia but it's got to be more complicated."

"Perhaps the X-rays will show something," Jeff argued,

"Yes they might, but I doubt it. After all she walked in here and then collapsed, that in itself should mean something." Lucy argued back, Gordon for the moment was silent.

"She might have had a headache that wouldn't go away, came in to get help and then collapsed. Old head injuries do sometimes do that."

"Well we'll see won't we," Gordon butted in, "Now if you'll excuse me I have to be in theatre."

"Yes and I have surgery" Jeff left quickly leaving Lucy to think, the whole case was peculiar, oh well, the X-rays would prove it one way or the other, in the meantime they would just have to wait and see.

The X-rays were ready by lunchtime, the reason why they hadn't been ready before was because the machine that did the developing was broken but Ken had performed some magic and had got it working again. Gordon, Jill and Lucy were in the reception room having more coffee when Jeff arrived, he didn't like Lucy being associated on the case but he knew it was necessary, if she criticised him though there would be hell to pay.

"I heard the X-rays were ready." Jeff started, pouring himself some of the coffee, he sipped it, it was incredibly strong, burning the back of his throat.

"Yes both Dr Rose and I have looked at them, no head injury Jeff." Gordon told him,

"What else could it be?" Jill asked "Lucy, you got any ideas?"

"Mental exhaustion could account for the unconsciousness, as for the amnesia, I'd say she's trying to block something out. It's a defence mechanism, there's something she doesn't want to remember, so she blocks it out." Lucy replied

"Oh right ok, She doesn't want to remember something, that stop her remembering anything?" asked Jeff, he knew he was trying to poke holes, he just couldn't believe he'd been proved wrong again.

"It depends what she's trying to forget." Lucy replied,

"Is there anyway we can well do something about it?" Gordon asked looking at Lucy, Jeff realised grudgingly he was being unfair, Lucy after all was the expert here, he hadn't done anything wrong either, eliminating physical problems always came before the mental.

"We can talk to her, it would help if we knew who she was obviously. But there's not much we can do, either a person remembers or they don't."

* * *

A funny smell was around the hospital, it had started in reception and rapidly spread throughout the hospital. Mr Harper smelled it on his way in, he at first put it down to the fact that it was the country but by lunchtime when it hadn't gone away, in fact it had got worse., he decided to do something about it. 

"Hopkirk," he called, he'd spied Ken halfway down a corridor, he wasn't hard to miss as he was on a step ladder replacing a light bulb. On hearing Mr Harper's voice, Ken's shoulders sagged, his expression read 'what do you want now?' Mr Harper had been nit-picking for over a week, over this and that, he probably wanted to do another stock check Ken thought.

"What can I do for you Mr Harper?" Ken asked, trying to keep his face and tone free of his true feelings, put it this way he wouldn't have won best actor at any awards ceremony.

"There's a . . a smell in reception. Investigate!" Mr Harper ordered, Ken nodded sagely.

"I know, I smelt it this morning. It's probably come off the fields, it often smells a little this time of year." Ken replied, hoping he would leave it at that, he didn't.

"I think it could be the drains, sort it." Mr Harper then turned abruptly and went off to do whatever it is that he does.

"Fan-bloody-tastic." Ken muttered glaring at Mr Harper's retreating back.

* * *

That night Jeff was working late, he had a truckload of paperwork to do, most of it was courtesy of everyone's best friend Mr Harper, though in all fairness to the man he was just doing his job like he was. Lucy was also working late, she too was doing the dreaded paperwork. Both Jeff and Lucy were disturbed when a scream rent through the air, it was quickly followed by more. Both Jeff and Lucy immediately went to the source of the commotion, it was fawcett ward. There they found almost the entire nursing staff, 4 nurses were around one bed while the rest of them circulated claming down the patients whose sleep had been interrupted. 

"What's happened, what's going on?" Jeff asked, he'd come at a run and was slightly out of breath.

"Our mystery patient had a nightmare." Sister Bridget explained. Lucy overheard that and walked over to the bed, the nurses made way for her.

"Hello, I'm Dr Kline, you just had a nightmare, do you want to tell me what it was about?" Lucy asked softly. The patient was lying on her back staring at the ceiling, she didn't acknowledge even that Lucy had spoken. "You ever heard of a problem shared a problem halved? Talk to me, I can help you." Suddenly the girl turned over and faced Lucy, her eyes weren't at all what Lucy would have thought, instead of being scared or unhappy they were blazing with anger.

"I don't need a shrink." the girl spat, she then turned her back to Lucy. Lucy swallowed hard, this kid was scary, she had clearly been frightened, but now, now she was just angry about it, about her own weakness perhaps. This was a child who'd seen too much and had to grow up in a hurry, farm kids had the same sort of look about them only not as much. She couldn't help this kid, she couldn't help someone who didn't want to be helped, at least not in this case. It was a shame, this kid needed to be wanted really, like all children, but she couldn't stay here at the royal, she would have to be sectioned. That was something Lucy did not want to do, sometimes it was necessary, in this case it probably wasn't but what alternative was left.

"We're going to have to section her," Lucy told Jeff, "There's no other alternative." Jeff nodded in agreement

"We'll do it first thing in the morning, I'd like to talk to Gordon about it first, after all he has been involved from the beginning." Jeff replied

"Ok" Lucy nodded in agreement, she then went back too her office to finish up, Jeff prescribed a mild sedative and then followed suit.

* * *

Meanwhile at home oblivious to what was happening at the royal, were Jill and Gordon. That morning because Gordon had had to leave in a hurry they hadn't had a chance to decide when they were going to tell everyone they were engaged. They decided on Saturday after surgery, that would give Gordon enough time to have got a ring and phoned Henry, it was only fair that he should be kept in the picture. The next thing to consider was how they would tell Tom and Katy. It had been hard enough telling them that Jill was going to live with them, how would they feel about their dad getting married again, did they even understand what that was? It would be difficult that was for sure. 

"It'll be alright you know," Gordon told Jill, "the kids will understand, even if they don't at first they will soon, everyone knows you can't hurry love." Jill smiled, _it would be alright, they had each other, marriage was just the next stage, it wouldn't make much of a difference to their relationship._

"So when shall we tell Tom and Katy?" Jill asked, "Before Saturday obviously."

"How about tomorrow after school?" Gordon suggested

"Ok tomorrow." Jill agreed, her heart sinking at the thought, it couldn't be that bad though could it?

* * *

Ken managed to avoid doing anything about the _smell_ problem until the next day. It wasn't that he liked the smell, it was rather unpleasant, it was the fact that he didn't think it was the drains and was therefore reluctant to do anything about it. After he'd had his first thing in the morning cup of tea, he got Alun and some tools together and they made their way out to the front of the hospital where Mr Harper had said the problem had begun. Ken and Alun stood staring at the drain cover for a moment. 

"What do we do now?" Alun asked, Ken didn't really no, so he guessed as he went along.

"That cover needs to come off, so go on then." Ken replied convincingly.

"Me!" Alun protested.

"Well who did you think I was looking at." Alun glared at Ken for a moment before picking up a shovel with very bad grace. He inserted the shovel blade into the crack between the cover and the ground and began to lever it. 10 minutes later the cover was off, Alun was sweating it had been difficult. Mr Harper having heard noises had come out to watch which made Ken feel even more unsure of himself and therefore much more confident. The smell had got worse after the cover had been removed, Mr Harper despite feeling rather sick smiled to himself, he'd been right. Mr Middleditch with Matron then appeared on the scene.

"What the devil is going on?" Mr Middleditch demanded.

"What's that awful smell?" Matron asked, covering her face with her handkerchief.

"It's . . ." Ken began

"The drains." Mr Harper cut across him earning himself an icy glare. Mr Middleditch looked between Ken and Mr Harper, Mr Harper was looking quietly satisfied and Ken was looked angry.

"Please continue Ken," Mr Middleditch asked he smiled at Mr Harper who immediately swelled up in anger.

"It needs to be investigated, which me and Alun are doing. I'm pretty certain it isn't the drains." Ken finished,

"Ok fine Ken you look into it, do try and get rid of the smell won't you, it is truly dreadful." Mr Middleditch then went back inside, Matron made to follow until she noticed that Mr Harper hadn't made a move yet.

"Come on Mr Harper, let's leave them to it. I'm sure you have lot's of work you need to be doing." Matron persuaded steering Mr Harper away forcefully, he tried to object but he couldn't, Matron was the boss.

"What did you tell them that for, it probably is the drains. You were meant to get them redone last year and you didn't." Alun accused fighting back for a change.

"I know, I know, I got them checked didn't I. Off the record but the roof needed fixing and you have to prioritise it was for the good of the hospital." Ken answered wearily, "Whatever it is, we better find out and soon. Then fix it before Mr Harper comes back." Alun nodded he agreed with that, they both then started poking into the depths of the drain.

* * *

The next day was nothing but hell all round, but hell particularly for Jill and Gordon, it was one of those days. It started off with the mystery kid, Jeff and Lucy had told Gordon what they were going to do, he didn't agree with it and tried to talk to the kid himself, he had little success. 

"I'm Dr. Omerod, I know you can't remember anything but you can tell me about last night, I've been told you had a nightmare is that true?" Gordon started, the girl just ignored him, her hands were twisting the covers slightly, making Gordon think that perhaps she could remember something. "You're leaving us no choice but to section you, I don't want that and neither do you I'm sure. We want to help you, we can help you." At that the girl turned, her eyes were filled with distrust and disbelief, she did remember something. "If you don't co-operate you'll be transferred this afternoon, you can talk to anybody here." Gordon turned and left, he felt useless, that kid needed help, help he couldn't give.

* * *

The morning seemed to drag on forever, Gordon went to fawcett ward hoping against hope that the girl had come to her senses and had talked to someone, he was to be disappointed. With much sadness Gordon gave the order for transport to come and for the girl to be got ready to leave. There was no alternative, if they at least knew what they were up against they could do, they could do something. Sister Bridget got her dressed and ready to leave. She seemed vaguely complacent about the whole thing, acting like it was nothing to do with her. The reason why was discovered 15 minutes later. Sister Bridget had had to leave her for a moment to see to another patient in one of her other wards, while she'd been gone the girl had ran away. This was a case of immediate concern as she was quite possibly suicidal, the police were informed but they could do nothing but keep their eyes peeled for information, after all she could be anywhere.

* * *

An hour after beginning the _investigation_ into the smell both Ken and Alun were tired and grimy, but they'd made a breakthrough. 

"That's the source of the smell." Ken noted grimly, he was pointing his flashlight and a pole at it. The illuminated mess looked to begin with like a sack, but it was what the sack contained that was important. It contained two dead chickens and a dead pig.

"Well at least it wasn't the drains." Alun said trying to be optimistic.

"Yeah but what the hell is it doing down there? How did it get down there? Where is it from? These are all questions Mr Harper and the health authority will want answered. I mean dead things pose enough of a health hazard but imagine what they died from." Ken replied, Alun grimaced, this wasn't going to be pretty.

* * *

The afternoon in comparison to the morning went by in a flash, Jill's thoughts were totally consumed by what was going to happen next, they say animals and kids can smell fear. That certainly may have been the case that afternoon, as things went from bad to worse. 

"Tom, Katy. Sit down for a moment I want to talk to you." Gordon began, the kids by now knew how ominous that kid of statement was and exchanged glances, wondering what it was they had done now. Gordon took a deep breath, he didn't quite now how to say it so he decided not to beat around the bush. "Jill and I are going to get married." Tom didn't look too bothered by what Gordon had just announced, in fact he looked bored. Katy's eyes on the other hand narrowed, there could be a problem.

"My friends sister got married," she began, Gordon began holding his breath, he didn't know why, she'd been difficult about it last time. "Then she had a baby, you aren't going to have one right?" Gordon and Jill exchanged a glance, that was something they hadn't discussed. Gordon was loathed to say no because well he didn't want to be proved a liar if that did happen, just because it wasn't on the cards at the moment didn't mean it wouldn't be after they were married or a few years down the line.

"Katy, what would be your objection to a baby? I'm not saying that there will be one, but then again there might be. I'm not going to lie to you. What exactly would be your problem with it?" Katy didn't answer, she was deliberately avoiding looking at Gordon. "Do you think it would make us love you any less?" At that Katy started, she looked up at Gordon, her eyes full of that fear a child gets, the fear a child gets particularly after losing a parent or someone close to them. Their world seems infinitely more fragile, with the ability to disappear or break at any given time without warning. Gordon had hit upon the truth and he knew it. "Come here, you know that's not true." Gordon reassured her, giving her a big hug. Jill just looked on, it hadn't gone as well as it could have but it hadn't gone badly either, now all they had to do was to tell everyone else. That wouldn't be hard though, Gordon had phoned Henry that afternoon, his reaction had been the opposite of what she'd expected, he'd been delighted for them. It didn't really matter what anyone else thought, they would all except them, they had already. For the first time in months Jill knew beyond a shadow of a doubt, that her future was secure.


	2. Keep on Running

**Episode**  
2/12 Keep on running

**Review**  
The poison pen letter writer is discovered, Gordon and Jill make their announcement and the mystery girl is found.

**Cast list**  
Anna Madely, Paul Fox, John Axon, Michael Starke, Andy Wear, Robert Daws, Amy Robbins, Ian Carmichael and Polly Maberly

* * *

It's the start of a new day in Elsinby, Samantha yawns, she's been on night duty and is looking forward to going to bed. She has another hour yet to go, so she goes down to the staff kitchen to make some coffee. To her surprise Jeff was there making coffee. 

"What are you doing here doctor?" Samantha asked smiling, "I didn't think doctors worked this early in the morning."

"We don't, or at least we try not to. One of my patients got worse and I got called in. There's not much point in going home so coffee and lot's of it is the order of the day." Jeff replied tiredly

"I just came down to have some myself, nightshift," Jeff grimaced, when he'd worked in Newcastle he'd had to work nightshifts, they were something you avoided if at all possible. "It's unfair I'm nearly always on nightshift, that's why we haven't been able to go out."

"Yeah," Jeff muttered non-commitedly,

"I'll see if I can switch Saturday night, there's a new film on and I was wondering if you'd like to see it." Samantha asked, Jeff hesitated slightly.

"I've got plans, some other time perhaps." Samantha nodded, she was disappointed, but well it wasn't his fault, she probably wouldn't have been able to switch shifts anyway.

* * *

At a more reasonable hour in the morning the health and safety investigator arrived, he was shown everything there was to see by Ken with Mr Harper as a shadow. He said nothing until they got into Mr Harper's office, then the questioning started. 

"Dead animals in the drains. How did they get there?" Mr Harper opened his mouth to speak but Ken got there first

"We don't know sir." Ken denied, the investigator nodded

"You sent a sample to the lab I presume?"

"Yes we did, the results should be due back any moment sir." Mr Harper was now looking at Ken with something akin to respect, _it would have paid_ Mr Harper thought _to remember Ken fought in the war. He knew how the game was played._ Just then a knock came at the door, it was Alun he had the results. If the results showed that the animals had died from something poisonous there would be a problem. If it showed that they died of something along the lines of natural causes then the hospital would get a slap on the wrist for allowing them to get in their drains and told to never let it happen again. Alun quickly left, he hated these tense moments. The investigator took the envelope and slit it open, he read it through twice before telling ken and Mr Harper what it said.

"It appears you have been very lucky, these animals died naturally or as naturally as most. I want better security on those drains, dead animals are a health hazard in themselves." The investigator then left without shaking hands which enraged Mr Harper, Ken thought they had been lucky. There had been that incident with anthrax not that long ago, if that had been it then they would have been finished for sure.

* * *

There was a rather uncomfortable silence in the room. 

"Who would have thought it? I didn't think it . . . are you sure?" Gordon asked shaking his head in disbelief.

"There's no doubt about it," DI Shiner confirmed "The newspapers that she'd cut up were found in her flat, as were handwritten drafts of the letters received. We also have a full confession." Jill had been silent do far, but she had to know, she had to ask.

"How did she know about the letter?"

""She . . ." Gordon cut DI Shiner off

"I told her, it seems so obvious looking back, who else knew about it? I was trying to help her, her fionsae had been hurt in the cliff collapse, they'd had an argument, she didn't want to marry him, but she couldn't face up to telling him or anyone else, so she was going to kill herself. I just told her anything I could think of to, to get her to come with me."

"It wasn't your fault, don't blame yourself, you tried to help her, she's obviously ill." comforted Jill.

DI Shiner clearly uncomfortable cleared his throat, "Well you won't be hearing anymore from Helen Winters, one way or another." he then stood up to leave, Gordon stood up to and they shook hands.

"Thanks, for everything you've done." Gordon said sincerely,

"No problem doctor, it's my job. Professional courtesy, if I ever need a doc I'll come see you then our roles might be reversed." DI Shiner smiled then left. Jill sighed a sigh of relief, the writer of the poison pen letters had been on her mind for weeks, now finally the case was solved.

"Thank god," Jill muttered, Gordon looked at her and smiled, he then hugged her, he too was glad that it was finally over.

"It's all over. we can now get on with our lives, together."

* * *

A little later on a hiker passed Brooker's point, he paused for a moment mesmerised by the view completely unaware he was being watched. He looked at his watch, it would be lunchtime in about an hour, he decided to stop there for a while, the view was simply, well they didn't get any better. He sat down and got out his flask, it was still hot from 8 o' clock this morning, amazing well that was technology for you. 

He sat sipping in quiet contemplation for a while, in the bushes someone was wishing he would go away, but he didn't. Instead he got out a parcel of sandwiches making the person lick their lips hungrily, they hadn't eaten for nearly three days now, they shifted uncomfortably, suddenly the sharp report of a twig cracking cut through the air, the hiker jumped and looked all around him, the person in the bushes winced and withdrew even further into the bush, that might well have been their undoing for the hiker spotted the bush shaking and in a moment of rash bravery decided to investigate.

He poked at the bush cursing because it was a spiky one, suddenly behind the hidden person came a pheasant, it totally ignored them and came strutting out of the bush, the hiker then went back to his sandwiches muttering under his breath such profanity that had a vicar been around he would have probably fainted.

Inside the bush, the person sighed a sigh of relief, they were badly scratched but they hadn't been discovered and that was the main thing. Still watching the hiker and being careful in their movements they settled down more comfortably, they hadn't slept in three days either, that was their real undoing for however wary they were the were dog tired and soon fell asleep. Two hours later the hiker decided to leave, he packed his things up being careful not to leave any litter anywhere, he got about half a mile down the road when the screaming started.

* * *

Gordon and Jill for sometime had been debating how to tell their friends and colleagues that they were getting married, but the time they had agreed on had now come. Mr Middleditch led the customary Saturday afternoon briefing, when he asked if there was any other business. Gordon and Jill exchanged glances, now was as good a time as any, everyone was here, yeah now was good. 

"Jill and I have something to announce." Gordon said licking his suddenly dry lips nervously, suddenly everyone had looked at him and he started to wish he hadn't said anything, but he'd started now, there was going back. "Jill and I are going to be married." Both Gordon and Jill held their breath, both thinking that if Henry had excepted them this lot should, their fears were groundless as smiles erupted, suddenly everyone wanted to shake their hands and congratulate them. Everything was fine, everything had turned out ok.

* * *

The hiker whose name was Chris Lake, had been suspicious before he'd heard the screaming, but on hearing the screaming he'd called the police. Sergeant Merton had come with Steve and had taken a statement, he'd then gone and poked around in the bushes at Brookers point, the person had been awake a while by then though and hadn't been idle, they'd moved half a klick down the road and found another dense bush in which to hide in. Sergeant Merton having found nothing didn't quite no what to do next, he thanked Chris Lake for his good citizen act and then went back to the station where for the lack of a better idea he called the royal and told them what had happened. 

Most of the hospital staff that weren't on duty had left by then, including Lizzie, so when the phone rang Lucy who had been passing on her way out picked it up. Lucy wasn't stupid, screaming in the woods, near Brooker's point. Alarm bells went off in her head, people screamed for all sorts of reasons, nightmares one of them, that girl was still missing from here and Brooker's Point was notorious for it's suicides. Lucy knew what she had to do, she picked the phone back up and dialled Gordon's home number, she didn't want to have to disturb him but he was the doctor on call and she needed the backup.

"Omerod," Gordon answered, he had just sat down to begin his lunch when the phone rang, he had to answer it as he was on call, but all the same it annoyed him.

"Gordon, it's Lucy." Lucy hesitated, "The police just called, something odd just happened at Brooker's point, I think it might be that girl that ran away. I'm going to go up there and to be honest I need the backup." Gordon groaned to himself, he had to go, he wanted to go, just not now.

"I'll meet you there." Gordon replied, he hung up and went to tell Jill to put his lunch in the oven to stay warm.

* * *

10 minutes later as promised Gordon pulled up to Brooker's point, Lucy was just in front of him, looking towards the cliffs edge he could see a small figure teetering on the edge, they'd found their AWOL patient. Slowly they approached her, when they were 10 feet away the girl turned to face them. 

"Stay back," she told them "This is nothing to do with you, it's not your problem, so just leave me be."

"It is our problem," Lucy began, first thing first was to get her away from the edge, talk her down "It became my problem when you became my patient, this isn't the answer, talk to me, let me help you." while she had been talking Lucy had been slowly edging towards the girl, but she'd been noticed.

"Oh no you don't, get back, get back. This is the only way." the girl then turned back to look down the cliff, Lucy knew she didn't have long but this kid wasn't listening to her, she had to try again.

"Tell me your name?" Gordon asked, he'd looked on while Lucy had tried and got rebuffed, this kid was smart, she probably knew the procedure they used to 'talk someone down', so he had to try something different. The girl hesitated, but she couldn't come up with a reason why not to tell him.

"Charlie."

"Charlie huh, did you remember that the night you had that nightmare, or did you always know it." once again the girl hesitated and once again couldn't find a reason not to answer.

"I remembered that night, everything came flooding back." Gordon nodded

"Is that why you ran or was it because you didn't want to be sectioned."

"Well, a bit of both I guess. No-one would want to be sectioned, have a load of shrinks on your case all the time but yeah I remembered and I had to get out." this time Charlie answered straight off Gordon noticed, that meant she was now felt secure in talking to him, he could now try and get her away from the edge. He moved towards her and she didn't seem to notice, soon he was right in front of her.

"What's so terrible that you can't face it?" Gordon said quietly ready to catch her if she tried to jump now, but he needn't have worried he could see it in her eyes, she needed to talk, she needed to stop the torment of what she and she alone was carrying, she didn't want to die she just wanted it to end.

"Ever watched someone die?" Charlie muttered "Someone close to you, someone who you loved, and die in the very worst way."

"Yes, my wife. She was in a bus crash and was in a coma for four months, she died eventually of a heart attack." Gordon replied, he found to his surprise that the words contained no pain for him any longer, he'd finally moved on.

"That isn't nice, but it wasn't what I meant. I meant the worst way, the very worst way, what gets me is that I can do nothing and everything about it."

"What are you saying?" Gordon suddenly got a shiver up his spine, he didn't know what this girl was saying and he didn't want to know. He'd pushed his luck too far now, Charlie didn't want to talk again, but he knew he'd done the trick.

"Come away from the edge now, you don't really want to end it all do you?" Charlie looked at him and then nodded silently then turned and walked away. Lucy smiled, she didn't mind that she hadn't got her away from the edge, she was just pleased that Charlie had come away. Gordon's shoulders sagged, he could never have been a doctor like Lucy, the stress involved and knowing at any minute you could lose them was just too much.


	3. Not in Love

**Episode**  
3/12 Not in love

**Review**  
Jeff and Samantha make a decision about their relationship, Ken and Alun fumigate the local pub but it all goes drastically wrong, a man who has been shot is admitted to the hospital. Charlie recognises a patient and Jill and Gordon make a big decision.

**Cast list**  
Robert Daws, Amy Robbins, Paul Fox, Polly Maberly, Anna Madely, Wendy Craig, Ian Carmichael, John Axon, Michael Starke, Andy Wear, Zoie Kennedy, Linda Armstrong, Michelle Hardwick and Dennis Lil

* * *

Gordon stretched and then looked at his watch, it was late, he should have gone home hours ago, it was just he couldn't stop thinking about Charlie. The police had met them at the hospital, Charlie told them her full name Charlie Wilson, she lived in Leeds, she'd told them then and there that she had no family. Her mum had been an only child and her grandparents had died before she was born, she had never met her dad, he'd left her mum when she'd become pregnant. Her mum had died a few weeks ago, Charlie wouldn't say how, Gordon suspected that that was what she would rather have not remembered, so the police started to look for Jane Does, they circulated a picture they got from Charlie's house. 

Sgt. Merton wasn't hopeful, the investigation wouldn't turn up anything unless Charlie came fully clean with them, which clearly she was to frightened to do. That wasn't what Gordon couldn't get out of his head though, no, it was what had come next. Charlie wasn't ill, she didn't need to be hospitalised, she had demons that needed exorcising but that could be sorted over time and on an out patient basis. She was going to be put into care, there was nothing he could do about it, but all the same he didn't want it to happen.

* * *

The next day Jeff was in reception getting his morning surgery patient notes from Lizzy, when Lucy walked in, he couldn't help but notice how attractive she was looking these days. 

"Good morning Lucy." Jeff smiled, "How are you this morning?" Lucy gave Jeff an icy glare.

"Fine thank you." Lucy replied frostily, gathering up her files and moving off before Jeff had the chance to say anything else.

"Charming," Jeff muttered to himself before heading off to his office to get ready for morning surgery. On the way he met Ken, he was pushing a hospital gurney and looking around furtively, probably for Mr Harper Jeff realized.

"Hopkirk, what are you doing?" Mr Harper demanded, he had suddenly appeared from one of the rooms adjoining the corridor. Ken jumped and turned around to face him.

"Nothing Mr Harper, or at least nothing I'm not meant to be doing. I'm just taking a body to the mortuary" Ken gestured to the gurney "You're very welcome to check." Mr Harper wrinkled his nose in disgust and gabbled quickly.

"No that's quite alright Hopkirk, I have to be getting along, lot's to do. You get on with it." and with that Mr Harper hurried off, obviously hiding the fact he was frightened that he'd be made to look but trying to cover it up. Ken smirked in triumph and resumed pushing the gurney, for another meter because Jeff's hand came down and stopped it.

"What are you really doing Ken?" Jeff asked reasonably

"Taking a body to the morgue, just like I told Mr Harper" Ken replied glibly

"Really" Jeff smiled and before Ken could stop him, he'd reached across and whipped the sheet off the gurney. Needless to say it wasn't a body as Ken had told Mr Harper, instead it was an old rusty oxygen tank and mask.

"A body is it, doesn't look much like one to me. What are you doing with it?" Jeff asked "Come on I won't rat you out to Mr Harper, I won't even tell anybody if it's not illegal." Ken could see he had no choice, he trusted Jeff that he wouldn't tall Mr Harper or indeed anybody if he said he wouldn't, but if he didn't tell Jeff what he was doing he could go and tell Mr Harper which would not be good.

"I'm just borrowing it, you see The Rose and Crown has got a woodworm infestation in their loft and their potman asked if I could help, as I had access to the necessary gear." Ken gestured towards the oxygen mask and tank. "He's paying me £5 for it and I was going to donate . . ."

"All of it I hope, after all you are a Hopkirk, so you do do things for free, or so I remember you telling me the first day I started work here." Jeff interrupted a slight smile playing on his lips.

"Of course." Ken faltered, he'd been very skillfully outmaneuvered, oh well it was for the good of the hospital.

* * *

Meanwhile a car screeches to a halt outside the hospital, two men get out and lift another gently out and lay him on the sidewalk, they then got back in the car and drove off, a minute later the man was admitted. 

"What have we got here?" Jill asked, this man needed surgery but until Dr Rose got here this was her patient, that was if he ever got here, he'd gone to play golf on the local course which was spread over several miles.

"He's been shot once in the chest, it's punctured a lung and there is severe internal bleeding." Meryl replied

"Ok set up an IV, let's get some blood back in him, set up a saline drip to help shock. Whose on anaesthetic duty today?" Jill ordered, while checking the patients vital signs.

"Dr Omerod, shall I put his lights up doctor?" answered Meryl, she'd already set up the IV and drips.

"Yes we need to get him into OR as soon as possible, find out what the status is on Dr Rose?" Jill checked the patients vital signs again, they weren't good, they needed to move fast otherwise they would lose him.

* * *

At the same time Charlie was hanging round reception, she didn't have anything better to do. There wasn't a place for her in any home, so social services had asked the hospital if they could keep her until there was, so for the moment she was sleeping on the couch at the nurses home. Dr Rose came in looking hot and angry, he didn't like being interrupted while he was playing golf or being made to hurry. 

"Alright were is he?" Dr Rose demanded, "Where is the gunshot victim?"

"In the operating room doctor, they're waiting for you." Lizzy replied, Dr Rose nodded and stormed off in that direction.

"What's his problem?" Charlie asked

"He doesn't like his golf game being interrupted." Lizzy replied

"Shouldn't have become a doctor then." Charlie laughed "They're always getting interrupted."

* * *

A little later over at the Rose and Crown, Ken and Alun were examining the loft, the infestation was serious, they couldn't count on getting it all in one go, they'd do it once tonight and then again in their dinner hour tomorrow, that should settle it.

* * *

A lot later Dr Rose came out of the operating room, the operation had been long and difficult, but he couldn't go home just yet, he had a reception committee of Sergeant Merton and DI Shiner. 

"Dr Rose how did the operation go? He made it through all right?" DI Shiner inquired, Dr Rose nodded and sat down, the police would have more questions he was sure.

"He's stable but critical, he was shot once in the chest from close range, probably with 9mm Browning but forensics will be able to tell you more about that. The bullet went through the upper GI, ricocheting off two ribs and piercing the left lung before tearing the aorta, he's incredibly lucky to be alive." Dr Rose concluded, the two policemen looked at each other.

"What I'm going to tell you now must for the moment be kept to yourself, we had information that the IRA were in Leeds, about to do a job. We stormed the house they were reputed to be in and there was a shootout in which four officers died, only one of the terrorists was hurt. We have reason to believe that it's your patient." DI Shiner paused and Sergeant Merton picked up the narrative.

"We would be able to prove it either way if we can take fingerprints and compare him to our photographic database of suspected terrorists."

"We also want to put a guard on his door and some plainclothes policemen throughout the hospital, in case the IRA decide to pick their buddy up. That's something we'll have to discuss with Mr Middleditch. Do you have any objection to any of that, as his doctor." DI Shiner finished, Dr Rose was silent taking it all in, after a moment he raised he smiled.

"I have no problem with that, anything that'll help bag the scum."

* * *

It was the end of the day, Jeff was just about to call it a day when he got waylaid by Samantha. 

"Doing anything tomorrow night?" Samantha asked, Jeff stopped and looked at her, he couldn't make excuses forever, it wasn't fair on anybody.

"Look Samantha, I like you I really do but I don't think we should go out anymore, or at least be no more than friends." Jeff replied "I'm really sorry." Samantha opened her mouth to speak but no words came out. _'He was dumping HER! He couldn't be, it was impossible, her!'_

"Right, well I guess I'll see you around then." Samantha said angrily before turning around and heading rapidly in the other direction.

Jeff watched her go, he didn't feel bad about dumping her, she'd deserved it, they'd been going out and she'd gone out with that guy with that flash sports car. She couldn't do that, either she would have to learn that either she was going out with somebody or she wasn't, but she couldn't have it both ways. He only wished that she wasn't mad at him, it would make working together a little tricky.

* * *

The next day at lunchtime, Ken and Alun went to the Rose and Crown, they'd started the fumigating last night but they were now going to finish it off, to make sure that there was no woodworm left because if there was and the health inspectors found it, the Rose and Crown could close, Ken shuddered at the thought. 

"Hey Les, we've only got an hour, will you be around when we're finished?" Ken asked the potman.

"I don't think so Ken, we'll be in middle o'dinner rush." Les replied

"Well give us the money now, then we can go when we're finished." Ken suggested, Les nodded in agreement and fished the money out from his pocket.

"Right Alun, let's get on with it or Mr Harper will have our guts for garters."

They then put on their oxygen masks and slung the heavy tanks on their backs. Once that was done they started to fumigate, spraying the toxic chemicals all around. Throughout the dinner hour people started to complain of a crushing headache, they left soon after, the staff didn't have that luxury so they took painkillers and battled on, when the painkillers didn't even touch it, they got worried and closed the pub early, not that they had many customers, they then headed up to hospital, there they found a full waiting room.

* * *

Mr Middleditch and Mr Harper were in the formers office and weren't aware of any of this, they were talking to DI Shiner about the security arrangements for their Irish friend. DI Shiner outlined his plans, they were basically the same as he'd told Dr Rose but with a couple of additions. Sergeant Merton was going to be obviously on site with five other uniformed officers, three police cars were going to be parked around the hospital and moved periodically but never leaving the hospital, DI Shiner hoped that this would discourage any possible rescue attempt, a mark of the IRA was that their members if caught never talked and that the IRA didn't like leaving members, friends behind, they nearly always rescued them, it was the one decent thing that they did. After listening to DI Shiners plans Mr Harper and Mr Middleditch conferred for a moment, it was more theatrics than anything else, they had no problem with the plans, because they weren't just to keep their Irish friend from being rescued, they were to protect the royal's staff. 

"I have no problem with your plans, the safety of the people who work here is paramount." Mr Middleditch answered, DI Shiner nodded pleased, he hadn't expected any objections and it was nice not to be wrong. He was just about to take his leave when Lizzy knocked and entered.

"Excuse me Mr Middleditch, I know you said no interruptions but . . ."Lizzy gabbled, Mr Middleditch looked tiredly at her.

"Lizzy calm down, take a deep breath and tell me what the problem is."

"Receptions full up, they're spilling out into the street, all complaining off the same thing." Mr Middleditch stood up and guided Lizzy back towards reception with Mr Harper right behind them, this was serious. DI Shiner for the moment forgotten tagged along, he might be able to help.

"What exactly are these patients complaining of Lizzy?" Mr Middleditch asked just as they got to reception, for such a crowd they were unusually quiet.

"Crushing headaches, all of them." Lizzy shrieked, she was started to panic which wouldn't do, Mr Middleditch motioned to Mr Harper.

"Get Lizzy a nice cup of tea, make a big pot" Mr Middleditch advised him, then seeing how pale Mr Harper had become he added "Make yourself one as well." Mr Harper nodded and taking Lizzy by the arm headed back the way they'd come. Mr Middleditch was just wondering what to do when Jeff, Gordon, Jill and Lucy arrived on the scene along with Sister Bridget, Meryl and Matron, Lizzy had had the presence of mind to put everybody's lights up which had set alarm bells ringing for people, the situation would now be brought under control. The doctors divided the packed waiting room into six, each of the doctors would take a sixth, Matron would take one and Sister Bridget and Meryl another. Mr Middleditch would distribute tea to everybody and DI Shiner would help them find out how this had happened.

"So . ." Matron began "You have a really bad headache, tell me about it, when did you first notice it?"

"I'd just finished my lunch at the Rose and Crown when it started, at first it wasn't so bad but then it got worse. So I went home and took some painkillers but it didn't shift at all so I figured I'd best come here." the man answered, clutching his head like he was afraid it might burst.

"You figured right." Matron replied, looking in DI Shiner's direction he'd got all that. "Now what we're going to do is . . ."

"Now tell me about this headache of yours." Sister Bridget said smiling kindly at the young woman in front of her.

"I'm a barmaid at the Rose and Crown," DI Shiner started at that, but it could be a coincidence. "it was halfway into the lunch hour when it got bad, by then most of our customers had gone." 'Eureka' DI Shiner thought, they had their focal point, now he had a couple of questions for her.

"Are you having any work done at the pub, having it painted for example?" the woman shook her head and then wished she hadn't as the pain exploded.

"Oh no wait a minute, we had a bit of a woodworm problem, so we had the attic fumigated." DI Shiner smiled, this was looking ore and more likely now, the Rose and Crown was almost certainly the focal point.

"When did they finish fumigating?"

"Lunchtime today, oh!" she realised what she'd just said.

"Right ok, what company did you use?"

"We didn't use a company, Les our potman got a friend of his to do it."

"Which one's Les?"

* * *

"That's a good job done Alun." Ken commented, they were in the porters office drinking tea. 

"Yeah, what's my cut?" Alun asked

"You haven't got one."

"What!" Alun exclaimed "That's not fair."

"Of course it's fair, I'm not getting a cut either, it's all going to the hospital, I promised."

"Ken!" Then DI Shiner knocked on the door.

* * *

Charlie had stayed out if the way, most of the day she'd been hanging round reception again, it was a very interesting place to hang about, you got to see everybody who came in and everybody who went out, people watching was fun. Now this crisis was on she was keeping out of the way even more, so she'd gone on a tour of the hospital. 

She talked to the policeman that was standing guard outside the Irish terrorists room, he wouldn't tell her why the man was under guard, which made sense she thought. She looked through the window at the man, he was conscious and turned to look at her. His eyes widened in recognition and then after a moment so did Charlie's. Half a second later Charlie was running off down the corridor, much to the amusement to the policemen on guard, kids today.

* * *

At the end of the day Lucy went to check out, she hadn't treated patients since her casualty rotation. Jeff was in reception also signing out, she'd had a tough day, he was the last person she wanted to see. 

"Good evening Lucy." Jeff smiled

"Good evening Jeff" Lucy returned indifferently.

"I've been meaning to talk to you all day."

"Really."

"Yeah, I was wondering if you would like to go for a drink sometime, or maybe to the pictures." Lucy looked at him in shock, this was something she'd once wanted, still wanted but

she couldn't, she didn't want to be second best, he'd chosen Samantha and if it hadn't worked out she was sorry but she didn't want to get involved like that.

"I'm sorry Jeff, I don't want to go out with you. Goodnight." Lucy then walked away, tears in her eyes.

* * *

That night after Jill and Gordon had had dinner and put the children to bed they had a glass of wine each and started discussing the day, the conversation then turned to other matters. 

"What do you think of Charlie?" Gordon asked

"She's a very good kid." Jill replied cautiously, where was this leading?

"Shame about her circumstances, she's getting taken into care, they just don't have a home for her, sad isn't it?" Jill was getting uncomfortable,

"Yes . ."

"We could give her a home." Gordon suggested.

"What!" Jill looked at Gordon in shock, "You mean foster her?"

"Yes, I've been thinking about it for a few days. I don't know how but ever since she arrived, we had this connection. I was the only one who could talk to her. I think she'd be happy here with us, and god she deserves it. So what do you say?" While talking Gordon had gotten really animated, he only got like that when he cared deeply about something Jill knew.

"It's a big step." Jill conceded "There's a chance that we might not get accepted, there's so many forms to fill out."

"I know all that, but we could give it a go couldn't we, would you like too, I only want it if you do?" Jill thought for a moment, then Charlie's face came into her mind, she'd gotten to her too.

"Yes we can give it a go, let's foster her."


	4. One for Sorrow

**Episode**  
4/12 One for sorrow

**Review**  
A tragedy occurs and the hospitals future is under threat.

**Cast list**  
Robert Daws, Amy Robbins, Paul Fox, Wendy Craig, Ian Carmichael, Michelle Hardwick.

* * *

It was Thursday, 7am and Mr Middleditch was already in his office, yesterday on his way home Mr Harper had dumped on his desk, such an amount of paperwork that several trees must have been cut down to provide enough paper to print it on. 

He'd gotten rid of as much as he could last night, staying in his office until well after everybody else that wasn't on night duty had gone home, still more than half of it was still sitting on his desk, he had lunch with the board at 12.30, he had to brief them in on some minor administrative changes the district health authority wanted, so he had those papers to sort out. Also this afternoon he had the hospital budget to present to the council, and he hadn't even started on the speech he had to give tonight, he was presenting an award.

He didn't know if as the days went on he had more and more work to do, or if it just seemed like it. He tried to concentrate on the work but he had a nagging headache, he really didn't feel well at all, he knew he shouldn't be here, he knew he should tell one of the doctors, but he had too much work to do, Mr Harper was supposed to be here to sort out hospitals, make them better, but all he seemed to do was get more and more paperwork for all members of staff to do, he knew it wasn't just him, that's why he couldn't give up, if everybody else could do it, so could he.

A couple of hours later Mr Middleditch got up to go to reception, he stumbled a bit but put it down to early morning stiffness.

He stepped out into reception, everything was flashing in and out of focus, he blinked hard trying to clear his vision. He turned to look at Lizzy, he wanted to ask her where the admission records papers were, but no words came out. He raised his right hand as if to point at something and staggered backwards slightly before he regained his balance.

"Mr Middleditch, are you ok?" Lizzy asked, her voice sounded so far away. He knew what was coming now, knew he'd been stupid to ignore it. He staggered backwards again and collapsed on the floor. Lizzy let out a silent scream and rushed to his side, that wasn't what she should have done, been told to do, but this wasn't some stranger, this was Mr Middleditch. Luckily Gordon had just come to get the patient notes for his next lot of patients.

"What happened?" Gordon asked while checking for a pulse, there wasn't one, he started CPR, Lizzy was in to much shock to say anything. After a few minutes Gordon stopped, there was no point in continuing, too much blood was on the floor. He looked at Lizzy, he didn't need to say anything, she knew, they both did.

* * *

The funeral was scheduled for the following week, on the Sunday. The reason why it could happen as quickly as that was because the cause of death hadn't been in question. Mr Middleditch had been a hypertensive, with 30 years of only taking his blood-pressure medication when he'd remembered. This had let to a blood clot in the brain, then a gradual build-up of pressure, also he had been under a lot of stress recently. All these factors contributed to what amounted to a cerebral haemorrhage, in layman's terms a stroke. 

Of all the staff in the hospital Matron took it the hardest, they'd been colleagues and friends for nearly 40 years. There wasn't anyone who either upon hearing the news or later in private didn't shed a few tears. Mr Middleditch had been loved and respected by everyone who'd ever known him, he was that kind of person. Of everybody Sister Bridget probably had the easiest time of it, this wasn't because she didn't care or wasn't sad, it was just she had her faith and believed that he'd gone to a better place.

* * *

The day of the funeral Mr Middleditch's son Simon turned up. He hadn't come earlier because of 'pressing business', he was an investment banker. He worked the European markets much the same as his counterparts worked wall street. This left Matron and Gordon to arrange the funeral between them, for this they enlisted the services of Bernie Scripps.

* * *

"Hello I'm looking for Matron, Simon Middleditch." Simon told Lizzy, in a cultured tone you normally would expect to hear from a Harvard business school graduate, he must have copied it in London because he hadn't left Elsinby with it. 

"Follow me." Lizzy said, heading down the corridor to the room that used to be Mr Middleditch's office, there Matron and Gordon were waiting for him.

"Simon" Matron got up to great him, she remembered when he'd been a baby, so small and vulnerable, now he stood six feet off the ground and radiated power.

"Matron" Simon kissed her cheek politely and then turned to shake hands with Gordon. Matron frowned, something in Simon had changed, he was different. She put that thought out of her head, it was probably just that his father had just died.

* * *

At the funeral the usual songs were sung, the vicar gave his sermon, then it was time for the eulogies. There was only going to be one, Simon didn't want to give one and neither did Matron, so the task had fallen to Gordon. 

"Mr Middleditch was a remarkable man. Over the years he's done so much for the local community, he gave us the hospital, I can't tell you how many lives that's save over the years. He fought in both world wars, first as a Captain, then later as a Major. He was there on D-Day, he was there on the beaches of Dunkirk. So not only has he saved lives here, he's helped saved the whole country. He gave so much as anyone who ever knew him would testify. There will only ever be one Mr Middleditch and we were lucky enough to know him." It was a short statement really, to commemorate a life so full of success and goodness, but what else was there left to say except for, "May he rest in peace."

* * *

Now for the first time since Mr Middleditch's death, did the staff allow themselves to think of their own futures. Mr Middleditch had owned the hospital building, now that he was dead what would happen to it. Would Simon keep the building or would he sell it. Everybody deep down hoped that Mr Middleditch's kindness and goodness ran in the family. A few people for example Jill rather suspected it didn't. They would all find out for sure one way or the other by that evening, the lawyer was coming to read the will. 

So straight after the funeral Simon, Matron and Gordon went back to the hospital where the lawyer was waiting for them, it was the moment of truth time.


	5. Sacred Trust

**Episode**  
5/12 Sacred trust

**Review**  
The future of the hospital is decided and Charlie finally moves out of the nurses home, but where to?

**Cast list**  
Robert Daws, Amy Robbins, Wendy Craig

* * *

The lawyer John Steinberg sat behind what had been Mr Middleditch's desk. The mood in the room was beyond tense, as if to exacerbate the situation several minutes passed in silence with John Steinberg shuffling papers. Eventually Steinberg cleared his throat. 

"We're here today to hear the last will and testament of Mr (name) Middleditch. There is only one beneficiary, but there are certain terms and conditions that go with it." Steinberg paused then for effect, he'd missed his calling, should have been an actor.

"Get on with it man, haven't got all day, I want to be back in London tonight." Simon snapped

"Yes quite, Mr Middleditch's entire estate has been left to St Aiden's Royal Free Hospital." Matron and Gordon breathed a sigh of relief, "All of his estate except for this building is to be liquidated and the money held in trust. The trustees are a Dr Gordon Omerod, a Dr Jill Weatherall and Matron, if any of the trustees can not fulfil their duties at any given time they are to appoint someone to take their place, if they are unable to appoint someone the other trustees must appoint someone. That's it apart from two letters, one he wished to be given to his son Simon, the other to the trustees." Steinberg produced two letters, he handed one to Gordon and the other to Simon, being given a letter woke Simon from his shocked state.

"This is insane, I'm his son. Do I get nothing!" Simon shouted in protest

"Read the letter then you might understand." Steinberg told him

_Dear Simon_

_You've just been read my will, I can understand that you think I have disowned you by cutting you out of the will, that's not it at all. You are a successful businessman, you don't need my money but the hospital does. I can do a lot of good even when I'm six foot under. You are welcome to take anything from the house that has sentimental value. Your loving father._

Simon read the letter in silence, he had known how much the hospital had meant to his dad so he didn't really know why he was surprised.

"Dad loved this place, he did the right thing. If you ever need investment advice, I hope you'll call. Been nice seeing you again." Simon said his good-byes and left, he had more of his dad in him than he realized, he would be back one day. Steinberg cleared his throat.

"One thing I forgot to mention, once we've liquidated his estate we have to wait for the money to clear probate. It might take a while." Gordon nodded then opened his letter.

_Dear Gordon, Jill and Matron_

_You will have to appoint a new administrator, but I want you to run the hospital, I have great faith in your judgment. I have no words of advice because it's not my hospital it's your hospital, look after it well. T.J Middleditch._

_

* * *

_  
That evening around six o'clock Gordon and Jill got two surprise visitors. That morning before the funeral a social worker had turned up and taken Charlie away, Gordon hadn't even had a chance to say goodbye. Now on their doorstep stood Charlie with the social worker, Jill invited them in, she didn't know what they were here for, she'd let Gordon handle it.

"You applied to foster Charlotte Wilson." Gordon nodded "It's my great pleasure to tell you that your application has been successful." Gordon smiled, that was good news, he'd expected the process to be longer than that, well they were badly understaffed. He hadn't had a chance yet to tell Katy and Tom yet, he didn't anticipate a problem though. The social worker then started rummaging in her bag. "There are some more forms to fill out,I'm terribly sorry about this, I seem to have left them in the car, I'll be right back." There was instantly an uncomfortable silence in the room.

"So, you want to foster me, that's nice of you. I reckoned that I'd get stuck in some home or other until I was old enough to take care of myself." Charlie broke the silence. "Why do you want me anyway? I thought you had two kids of your own."

"We do but you need a home and we have one. There's something different about you, something special. We also had this connection, I was the only person you would talk to." Gordon replied, Charlie nodded in agreement.

"Yeah well you understand kinda, you know what it's like."

"You need to meet Tom and Katy. Tom, Katy, come down here a minute." Gordon called, "This is Charlie, she's going to come live with us."

"Live with us! Hasn't she got a home of her own to got to?" Katy objected

"No I haven't," Charlie replied "I'm what you would call an orphan, I never knew my dad and my mum died about three weeks ago."

"Your mum died too, was she in an accident?" Katy asked, she'd never met anyone else who'd lost their mum.

"Not exactly no," Charlie's face clouded over, it was clear even to Katy that she didn't want to talk about it.

"Will she share my room?" Katy asked objections forgotten. It was then that the social worker reappeared.

"Sorry about that I couldn't find them. Nice to see you've all got aquatinted. Just sign here and here." Jill then realized why the forms had really gone missing, it was to give them time alone. "Can you take her tonight, we've still no other place for her, it can be on a trial basis, I'll be back in two weeks." Gordon looked at Jill, she nodded. Charlie finally had a home.


	6. Secret Love

**Episode**  
6/12 Secret love

**Review**  
A new administrator is appointed, some unwelcome news reaches the hospital and Jeff and Lucy go out for a drink.

**Cast list**  
Robert Daws, Amy Robbins, Paul Fox, Polly Maberly, Anna Madely, Michael Starke, Andy Wear and Michelle Hardwick

* * *

It's been a couple of weeks since Mr Middleditch's funeral and things are slowly getting back to normal. Mr Harper had over the last two weeks got his comeuppance, he'd been heard to say that if there was anything he could do to help then he'd do it willingly, so he'd been asked to be the temporary hospital administrator, he'd been totally swamped by all the paperwork he had to do, paperwork that he had generated in the first place. Gordon had placed an ad in the paper and put the word about to his colleagues in other areas, but so far no applicants. 

"Excuse me, I'm looking for a Dr Omerod." a man at reception said.

"Morning surgery hasn't started yet, if you'd like to take a seat." Lizzy smiled, going back to the patient notes she was sorting out.

"Oh no you don't understand, you see I'm not a patient, I'm here about the job, it was advertised in the Ashfordly Gazette." Jill had walked into reception to pick up her patient notes, she immediately sized up the situation.

"It's alright Lizzy I'll deal with this. Dr Weatherall, you're here about the administration job?" Jill asked while walking to Gordon's office.

"Yes, Julian Caldwell."

* * *

Meanwhile Ken and Alun were on their first tea break, Ken was reading the paper. He always read the sports pages at the back of the paper first, then progressed to the major news stories if he could be bothered which was rarely, so it was Alun that noticed it first. 

"Ken, you read the front page yet?" Alun asked, staring at the front page

"No, of course I haven't, why?" Ken replied, closing the paper and turning it over, then his eyes widened in recognition and shock.

"That's why." Alun said soberly looking at the paper again as if he couldn't believe what he was reading.

* * *

That evening Jeff had worked late, he'd had some paperwork to finish that couldn't wait. He walked out into the parking lot, he'd expected that his would be the only car there, it wasn't. Lucy was sitting at the wheel of her car, she'd obviously been crying earlier. 

"Lucy, I didn't know you were still here, I thought you left ages ago." Jeff remarked kindly.

"My car won't start." Lucy told him miserably, Jeff smiled, he'd known something was wrong, he was just pleased it was something he could fix.

"Oh is that it, well I can fix that, pop the hood and I'll take a look." Lucy obliged and then got out to take a look herself. "Oh yeah I see the problem." Jeff then took off his jacket and rolled up his sleeves, he then started rummaging in the innards of the car.

"You can fix it?" Lucy asked

"Yep, it's not serious." A minute later Jeff pulled his head out of the car, "Try it now." The car started first time.

"I didn't know you could fix cars."

"A lesser known talent of mine, I worked part time in a garage to help put me through med. school. I've fixed one problem tonight but the engine looks like it needs a complete overhaul, I'm surprised it still runs at all, it's an antique."

"I know, it was old when I got it, it was a present from my dad when I finished med. school." Jeff nodded, he understood now, he knew that Lucy's dad had passed away last year.

"Can I buy you a drink?" Lucy smiled and nodded.

* * *

Meanwhile at home Jill and Gordon were talking shop, they were discussing the staff appointment they'd made this morning. They both agreed that he seemed to be the right person for the job, their only reservation was that he was very young only just twenty-two, this would be his first actual job, though he had a degree in administration from Oxford. He wasn't stuck-up at all, he'd fit in just fine. 

A little later on Charlie came into the sitting room, slumped down on the chair, she was bored, there nothing to do round here compared to Leeds. Absent-mindedly she picked the paper up and glanced at the front page, at first it didn't register but once it had sunk in the headline careered round her head. 'Irish Terrorist escaped', Charlie read on. The Irish terrorist was being taken to the prison on the Isle of Wight when colleagues of his ambushed the convoy. Charlie felt sick, this couldn't be happening. Through her immediate reaction of despair came a glimmer of hope, the same hope she'd held on to ever since her mum had died. It would be alright Charlie promised herself, it had to be.

* * *

At pub closing time Lucy and Jeff left the Chequers, they'd had a great time, talking and laughing. They had more in common than they'd thought, it wasn't just attraction anymore. They arranged to go out for dinner tomorrow and the pictures one night this week. Partially hidden by a shadow Samantha watched them pass, she guessed they were now an item. It wasn't fair, Jeff was the only eligible bachelor she'd ever really liked, and he'd broken up with her! How dare he? Well she'd see about that. Samantha's face twist into a smile, yes she'd see about this unwelcome development. 


	7. Love and War

**Episode**  
7/12 Love and war

**Review**  
A ghost from Samantha's fast arrives, Charlie disappears, there's a problem with the hospital plumbing and there's an imposter roaming the hospital.

**Cast list**  
Robert Daws, Amy Robbins, Paul Fox, Polly Maberly, Anna Madely, Wendy Craig, Michael Starke, Andy Wear, Zoie Kennedy, Linda Armstrong, Michelle Hardwick, Dennis Lil, Daniel Feltham and Sophie Foster

* * *

It's morning in the Omerod household, Tom and Katy are fighting over the free gift from the cornflakes packet, Charlie's reading the morning paper and Gordon and Jill are trying to get everybody ready in time for school or work. Charlie picks up her toast, eyes half on the paper, half on her brother and sister, a slight smile plays around her lips. Before being fostered Charlie had never known such a happy family life such as the one she enjoyed now, just Tom and Katy play fighting brought it home. Suddenly Charlie's toast freezes halfway to her mouth, the smile went completely. This wasn't possible Charlie thought as she re-read the article, if it had been even remotely possible she would have been out of here months ago. Her reasons for staying were rational, numerous facts backed them up, this couldn't be happening. 

"Tom, Katy stop that. You all ready to leave?" Gordon breezed in, both Tom and Katy shifted around and looked at the table, "Well, go get ready then." Gordon suggested, they didn't need to be told twice, Tom grabbed the toy they'd been fighting over and ran off with Katy in hot pursuit. Charlie hadn't heard any of this, she was scanning the article again, her anxiety growing. "I take it you're ready then?" Gordon asked while collecting the breakfast dishes and stacking them neatly on the draining board, ready to be washed when they got home, normally Charlie did them when she got in from school. "Charlie." Gordon called exasperated with the lack of reply, he then pulled the newspaper out of her hands. "Are you ready?" he reiterated.

"What? Oh yeah, yeah I'm ready." Charlie replied nodding, trying to put some conviction behind it, it wasn't the fact that she wasn't ready, it was that she wasn't sure of anything at the moment. Gordon looked skeptical but let it pass.

"Ok, go give Tom and Katy a hand then." Charlie nodded and left, Gordon shook his head, teenagers half asleep all the time.

Ten minutes later the Omerod family was leaving, they were running late which while it wasn't usual it wasn't unheard of. Gordon had to prep for surgery so Jill did the school run. First she dropped Tom and Katy off at Elsinby Primary, with the promise that Charlie would collect them at the end of school. She then dropped Charlie off at Ashfordly High, Charlie headed for the school gates, joining a throng of fellow students. When Jill was out of sight, Charlie doubled back round the corner, there she took her blazer and tie off, she had a long walk back home and the school uniform was just too distinctive.

* * *

Meanwhile Alun was sweeping up the yard at the hospital, it was something he liked to do every morning, you could people watch something that was always fun, Alun liked to watch the patients as they came for morning surgery, it was fun to guess which ones needed to be there, which one's didn't and which one's were just malingering, it was also fun to guess the ailment. It was normally just him in the yard and outside the hospital away from the patient areas, so when a man appeared from behind the shed, Alun was completely taken by surprise. 

"Who are you? what are you . . . hey come back here." Alun yelled after the rapidly retreating strangers back, as soon as he'd seen Alun he'd run off. It was odd enough that Alun went and had a look around the back, there was nothing to see, Alun shrugged and wrote it off as one of those things, and went back to sweeping the yard and people watching.

* * *

"Lizzy, you haven't seen my patient notes have you?" Lucy asked "I can't find them anywhere, yet I'm sure I had them this morning." Lizzy shook her head, 

"No doctor, but I'll keep an eye out for you." distractedly Lucy nodded her thanks, it had been a long night last night, she'd been to the pictures with Jeff, the late showing, they'd then got takeaway chips and laid on the beach talking till the sun came up, it had been terribly romantic.

"Morning Lucy," Jeff smiled, "Something wrong?"

"I've misplaced my patient notes, I had them this morning, I'm sure of it." Lucy replied miserably

"They're most likely in your office, I know what it's like when I'm looking for something, it can be right under my nose and I won't find it, come on I'll help you look." Jeff offered. "Together we'll find them." Lucy smiled, Jeff was right, they would find them, she'd overreacted, it was just she seemed to be losing so many things recently.

* * *

A little later Gordon, Meryl and Alun were waiting on Dr Rose, they had been waiting for twenty minutes, if he didn't arrive soon they would have to reschedule the surgery. 

"Good morning." Dr Rose greeted, bursting into the operating room. "Staff, all ready?" Meryl rolled her eyes, they'd been ready for ages, it was Dr Rose that wasn't ready.

"Yes doctor." Meryl replied.

"Good show." Dr Rose said just as he turned the tap on, he hadn't even scrubbed yet Meryl realized, instead of water, brown sludge gushed from the tap, covering Dr Rose, both Meryl and Gordon struggled to keep their faces straight, Dr Rose was completely covered.

"What happened?" Dr Rose asked in between spitting the brown sludge into the sink, he'd been unlucky enough to have his mouth open at the time, his pipe was ruined.

"I don't know Dr Rose, I'm sorry." Alun replied wincing at the picture Dr Rose cut.

"You don't know!" Dr Rose bellowed, "You don't know, my favourite pipe ruined and you don't know!"

"Dr Rose, it's not Alun's fault . ." Meryl tried.

"Not his fault, his job is hospital maintenance isn't it?"

"Not exactly . ." Gordon began

"This is an outrage, at Ashfordly this would never have happened. My favourite pipe!" Dr Rose then stormed out of the room, a soon as he was out of earshot Meryl and Gordon collapsed with laughter, Alun had taken the patient back to the pre-med room.

"I'm glad to see he's got his priorities right." Meryl laughed, Gordon nodded, he was laughing too hard to reply. Suddenly a light knock came at the door.

"Come in." Gordon called with difficulty.

"Dr Omerod," Lizzy said.

"Yes." Gordon pulled his face straight, Lizzy's expression told him this was serious.

"It's Charlie . ."

* * *

Meanwhile on Milner Ward, Matron was conducting the daily ward check when Dr Rose strode in. Everywhere he had walked he had left brown sludge footprints, Sister Bridget noticed him first. 

"Dr Rose, what on earth?" Sister Bridget asked, her eyes wide with shock at the mess he was making of her clean ward.

"Matron! I've been looking for you." Dr Rose shouted.

"I sincerely hope you haven't, look at the mess you've made." Matron replied acidly, Dr Rose looked round, he had made a bit of a mess.

"Oh dear, um. There's a problem with the water, this sludge is coming out of the taps instead, it's ruined my favourite pipe. So what are you going to do about it." Dr Rose asked them, Matron had succeeded in almost deflating him, just not quite.

"I'm sorry about that." Matron apologised, though she wasn't sorry at all. "I'll tell Ken there's a problem with the plumbing, I'm sure it'll be fixed by tomorrow."

"Is that all?" Dr Rose said incredulously

"No, I suggest you go have a shower and change into something clean. Now where were we Sister?" Dr Rose glared at both women but he knew he'd never win an argument with Matron, instead he strode back out of the ward with as much dignity as he could muster went to do as he was told.

* * *

"Where could she be?" Jill wondered aloud, for the past hour, they'd been driving around the area between Ashfordly High and home looking for Charlie, at the moment they were driving along the high street, for all the good it would do. 

"I don't know but we'll find her." Gordon promised, "She's only been missing for a couple of hours, she can't have got far."

"I just can't understand why she would want to run away. She always seemed so happy." Jill lamented. Suddenly Gordon slowed the car and pulled into the side of the road, in front of a newsagents. Without a word to Jill he ran into the newsagents and bought a copy of today's paper, the one Charlie had been reading that morning.

"What are you doing?" Jill asked, Gordon didn't answer he was to busy flicking through the paper looking for the article, there it was. 'IRA terrorists caught by customs'

"That's why she ran away." Gordon pointed at the article, "I don't know why but she was fine until she read that."

* * *

"A pint of bitter please Les." Ken ordered, he'd missed this place, he'd only just judged it safe to come back after the disastrous incident with the fumigating. "Cheers Les, hey you wouldn't happen to know any plumbers. We've got a bit if a situation at the royal, they would have to be able to come this afternoon, Matron wants it fixed by tomorrow." Les thought for a moment, "Well I don't know anyone local who could do it that short notice." 

"Thanks Les, it doesn't matter." Ken told him, sipping at his beer.

"Hang on a minute, did I say I was finished? I know a couple of guys who could help you out. They're Irish but don't hold that against them, they're not all like the IRA. They're from Belfast, business was none to good so they're setting up here." Ken smiled,

"Where are they."

"Over there in that corner." Les pointed, "Bryan and Marc."

* * *

Meanwhile at the royal Lucy was starting to get suspicious. No-one could lose as many things as she had in the past week, unless someone was deliberately taking them and she knew who that someone would be. She told Jeff, he didn't believe it of her but agreed that a confrontation was the best cause of action. They then went looking for her suspect, they found her in the nurses kitchen. 

"Samantha, we've been looking for you." Jeff told her smiling slightly. Suddenly Samantha felt uneasy, the smile seemed sinister.

"Yes, we've reason to believe that you've been taking my things, making it look like I've lost them. Have you?" Both Lucy and Jeff realised as the words reverberated in the air how childish they sounded, but then the crime was childish, the type of thing a spoilt child would do when they didn't get their way. Samantha smiled, there was no point in denying it, she had been going to stop anyway because it was getting boring.

"Ok, yeah I did it. It was so funny watching you running around looking for them." Jeff looked at her in shock, he had never actually thought that she had done it, he'd thought it was all some terrible misunderstanding, he couldn't believe he'd ever liked her.

"You admit it." Lucy said incredulously, "You're actually admitting it."

"Why not, I've had my fun. You should never have dumped me Jeff, no-one dumps me and gets away with it. When I see what you dumped me for I wonder about your sanity."

"You bitch." Lucy said calmly, "You bitch." Samantha smiled sweetly.

"Yes well, he chose me first, so you're second best, like having my crumbs really." Then for a second Samantha was quite scared, Lucy looked like she was going to attack her. Jeff thought so to, so he firmly held her arm.

"Come on, let's go." Jeff urged, pulling her away, Lucy didn't resist.

* * *

A little later Alun was watching the two plumbers work. Hospital regulations stipulated that a member of the hospitals staff had to accompany any outsider around the premises. Normally Ken didn't bother with it, but as he didn't know them he decided to be better safe than sorry. It was hot in the boiler room, Bryan had already stripped to his waist when Marc decided to follow suit, he was wearing a long sleeved shirt. Alun who was half asleep in the corner noticed a tattoo of a serpent on Marcs arm, he hadn't seen many tattoos before, they weren't common in Elsinby, for some reason this one looked familiar, it took him half an hour to work out why. 

"Ken." Alun hissed, waving furiously for him to come over. Ken finished giving Mrs Clarkson her cup of tea before coming out of Fawcett ward.

"What Alun, can't you see I'm busy?" Ken asked him crossly, he liked giving out the tea and talking to the patients.

"It's one of the plumbers, I recognise him. He was here this morning, round near the boiler shed, he ran off before I could talk to him." Alun told him, Ken's face froze in thought.

"You thinking maybe they decided to create a little work for themselves?" Alun nodded in agreement, they then left to force a confrontation, much to the disgust of Sister Bridget, Ken hadn't finished giving out the tea.

"Hey you." Ken called, tapping Marc on his shoulder, "Alun here recognises you from this morning. You doing a little creative employment?" Bryan and Marc exchanged glances, they'd been discovered, albeit not in the way they'd anticipated, well it had been going to happen anyway this way it just happened a little early. They both reached into their plumbers bags, then in one swift movement they stood up facing Ken and Alun, pointing AKA-47 assault rifles at them.

"The landlords right, not every Irishman is IRA, unfortunately for you we are." Bryan smiled, both Ken and Alun stared in horror, what was going on?

* * *

All afternoon Gordon and Jill had been looking for Charlie, they'd tried all the routes out of the area, they had also tried most of the places where she might hide, now they only had one place left to check before they were out of ideas. Spirit waterfall, it was about a mile into the moors in a small forest that bordered onto Elsinby estate. They'd been there once in the summer shortly after Charlie had come to live with them, they'd been on there way to the seaside when the car had broken down. Gordon had been determined that the day shouldn't be ruined so he'd said that they'd picnic here, it had turned out to be a really good day. 

"Charlie." Gordon yelled, "Charlie."

"Charlie" Jill called, inside her hiding place Charlie shut her eyes and covered her ears, if they called too long she knew she'd want to go with them, but she couldn't, for their sake as well as hers.

"Charlie, come on. We want to help." Gordon shouted.

"She's not here." Jill muttered, "Come on let's go, there's got to be some place we haven't checked."

"Just because she's not answering doesn't mean she's not here."

"Look around, there's no place to hide." Gordon smiled.

"That's what you think." he then proceeded to climb a tree next to the waterfall, it wasn't hard it was a good tree for climbing, besides he'd done it before.

"Gordon what are you doing? You'll hurt yourself." Jill told him irritably.

"You'll see, trust me." Jill sighed annoyed, but there wasn't anything she could do about it. Gordon then stepped from one tree to another and Jill knew instantly that he would fall, that tree looked as fragile as anything, surprisingly he didn't fall instead he jumped, Jill screamed alerting Charlie to the fact that they hadn't gone at all.

"It's alright I'm ok." Gordon yelled back down, "there's a shelf behind the waterfall. I've found Charlie." Jill sighed with relief, she'd kill him when he got back down, scaring her like that. Meanwhile Charlie was doing her best to ignore Gordon, trying to ignore the fact that she'd been discovered.

"Charlie games up, now let's go back down and talk it through ok." Gordon told her gently, he took her arm. "Come on." reluctantly Charlie went with him. Coming down was a lot easier than going up, there was a fireman's pole at the back which you slid down, you then walked out of an opening that looked from the outside nothing mire than a small fissure in the rock.

"It's an old bootleggers place for his stash. We came upon it last summer, Tom had lost his Frisbee, Charlie had climbed up to get it back, I went up to see what all the fuss was about." Gordon explained, Jill nodded she didn't have any questions about it at the moment, those would come later after Charlie had explained.

"So why did you run away?" Jill asked, Charlie closed her eyes, the time had finally come to tell the truth.

* * *

Meanwhile at the hospital afternoon surgery was just finishing when a man walked into reception. 

"Hi, I'm here to see Mr Caldwell." he smiled, Lizzy immediately noted the Irish accent, perhaps he was with the plumbers.

"Do you have an appointment Mr . .?" Lizzy asked smiling back.

"Mr Wilde, Paul Wilde. I'm your new ambulance driver." Lizzy nodded, she'd been told he was arriving today.

"Would you like to come through?"

In another part of the hospital Matron was getting cross, the bulb in her office had gone and she couldn't find Ken or Alun anywhere.

"Nurse Taylor, you haven't seen Ken or Alun anywhere have you?" Matron asked, Meryl shook her head.

"Sorry Matron, not since just after lunch." Matron nodded her thanks and went on looking.

"Sister, you haven't seen Ken or Alun anywhere have you?" Matron repeated.

"No I haven't," Sister Bridget replied darkly, "Well not since Ken was giving the tea out this afternoon. Alun interrupted him halfway through, there seemed to be some problem because they both went off immediately." Matron frowned.

"I hope they're alright."

Ken and Alun were anything but alright, they'd been hold hostage all afternoon. Bryan checked his watch.

"It's time." he told them. Ken and Alun were then made to stand and with the guns at their backs walk back across to the hospital.

* * *

Back in reception a tall dark handsome man entered. 

"Hi I'm here to see Mr Caldwell." behind the reception Samantha froze, she recognised that voice. "Paul Wilde, your new ambulance driver." confusion crossed Lizzy's face.

"You can't be he arrived twenty minutes ago."

"Well there must be some mistake because I'm Paul Wilde." Paul told her.

"He is Paul Wilde Lizzy. Hi Paul." Samantha greeted.

"Sam what are you doing here?" Paul asked, a big grin spreading across his face.

"I work here."

"I can see that, god it's great to see you. I've missed you." Samantha smiled.

"Me too."

Then several things happened at once, Gordon, Jill and Charlie entered looking tired and disheveled, Jeff and Lucy entered from a different direction, from behind Jeff and Lucy came the imposter Paul Wilde carrying an identical gun to the ones Bryan and Marc were pointing at Ken and Alun behind him and from the main entrance came the man who had orchestrated this little party.

"Hello Charlie."


	8. Breathe Easy

**E****pisode**  
8/12 Breathe easy

**Review**  
The IRA hold The Royal staff hostage and a takedown by the SAS proves fatal for a Royal regular.

**Cast list**  
Robert Daws, Amy Robbins, Paul Fox, Polly Maberly, Anna Madely, Wendy Craig, Michael Starke, Andy Wear, Zoie Kennedy, Linda Armstrong and Michelle Hardwick

* * *

"Hello Charlie." Charlie closed her eyes, the moment she'd been running from had finally arrived, it was all over. Strangely she felt no fear, there was no-where left to run, no-where left to hide, nothing she could do would prevent the inevitable, all there was left to do was to die honourably and make sure that everyone knew the truth."Hi dad." Charlie turned around to face her father, everyone in the room apart from Jill, Gordon and the other members of the IRA gasped, they couldn't believe it, Charlie the daughter of an IRA chief.

"I didn't want it to end like this Charlie." Patrick Reid, (Charlie's dad) muttered.

"End like what? You can't kill your own daughter can you?" Charlie asked with false bravado, she knew all to well he could and would do it, she had no illusions on that score.

"I don't want to Charlie believe me, but I have no choice."

"No choice," Charlie snorted, "What do you mean no choice? It's been five months and I haven't told a soul, I knew what would happen if I did."

"You didn't think it would happen anyway?" Patrick raised his eyebrows, obviously sceptical.

"At first I counted on you not knowing where I was. Then I figured that you'd have realised I hadn't talked, making me not a worthwhile target. When I realised that wasn't so I split, unfortunately I didn't get far." Charlie glanced at Jill and Gordon, she'd told them of the danger, they just hadn't accepted it. Patrick frowned, he'd thought he'd achieved surprise.

"What tipped you off?"

"Today's newspaper, the IRA men caught by customs. I know your operational pattern, it wasn't hard to work out. Every four months you pull some stunt or other, except for rescues and special operations. Now two months after your last op went sour, you're back again, with no-one to rescue that meant a special operation and I didn't want to hang around and see if it was me you were after." Patrick nodded, he'd always known she was sharp, but how much of her mother was in her?

* * *

Meanwhile on milner ward, no-one as yet was aware that anything untoward was taking place. 

"Matron," Meryl called, sticking her head round the entrance to Milner "The water's running again."

"Oh good, the plumbers must have fixed it. Go find them would you Staff Nurse, I think I saw them heading into reception." Meryl shook her head.

"Sorry Matron I can't, I'm minding casualty, I should be there now." Matron nodded, she didn't reprimand Meryl for taking the time out to let her know, after all it was something she had needed to know.

"I'll go Matron, you're here watching my ward." Sister Bridget offered. Matron smiled her thanks and went back to her ever increasing pile of paperwork.

A minute later and Sister Bridget had reached reception, the doors were closed and the blinds were pulled down, how strange. Thinking nothing of it Sister Bridget pushed open the doors to reception, Patrick saw her first.

"Grab her." he yelled, Shane or the imposter Paul Wilde obliged, Sister Bridget had barely registered the abnormal scene she was confronted with before she was grabbed. "Shane let her go." Patrick ordered, startled Shane released her, Sister Bridget was so deeply in shock she hadn't even had time to scream. "Sorry Sister, didn't know who you were. Shane apoligise to Sister." Shane raised his eyebrows, he was the least devout of the four, joining the IRA for money and glory rather than because he believed in it's ideals.

"Sorry Sister." he muttered, Patrick glared at him but said nothing.

"Now Sister, I'd like you to convey a message to the police for me." Stunned all Sister Bridget could do was nod.

* * *

An hour later the hospital was surrounded, all the patients and staff not caught in the siege had been evacuated to Ashfordly general, Liz Merrick was on the scene and trained negotiaters had arrived from London. 

Inside the hospital, the four IRA men Bryan, Marc, Shane and Patrick were standing in one group, conversing quietly while watching for any signs of trouble, their guns safed and slung across their chests, within three seconds they could be firing.

Everyone else was sitting in one corner, yet still in groups, still separated. Ken, Alun and Lizzy sat together, Ken had his arm around Lizzy who was crying quietly while both Ken and Alun cursed themselves for not doing anything earlier, for putting them all in this situation. Samantha and Paul sat together talking quietly, catching up on events that had happened since they'd last seen each other. Lucy and Jeff both made an unspoken vow that when this was all over they'd do exactly what they wanted to do, no putting it off until tomorrow, because you never know how many tomorrow's you have. Gordon and Jill couldn't look at Charlie, they didn't know what would have happened if they'd followed her advice but it couldn't be worse than this, they'd put their colleagues in danger.

Suddenly the silence was broken as Charlie spoke.

"Why all this? If you wanted me you could have grabbed me anytime coming home from school. Why go to all this trouble?"  
"Oh a couple of reasons, one if I'm going to put my men at risk we might as well get something for it, I gave that Sister a list of demands. Two we wouldn't have grabbed you, there's always someone who notices something and the police are just too good on kidnap cases particularly when it's a child, no if it had been just you we would have had you killed." Patrick paused, he'd been waiting to say this for months now, he had to say it if he was to prevent the inevitable. "Which I didn't want to happen. I wanted a chance to talk to you first, you are my daughter. There is a way out of this you know." Charlie stared at him, he was lying, he'd got to be, there wasn't a way out or she would have found it by now, god knows she'd thought about it long enough, what did he want? "Join us?"

* * *

Meanwhile DI Shiner was getting more than a little angry, the negotiaters weren't doing any good because the IRA weren't talking. They'd given them a list of demands along with a deadline, if they didn't deliver they would execute the first person at 9pm tonight and after that someone on the hour every hour. It was now 8.42. 

"Sorry Inspector," the most junior negotiater apoligised. "They're just not talking." DI Shiner glared at him,

"Then don't you think it's about time you let the armed response team do their job!" DI Shiner shouted. Hearing the co-motion, a tall, muscular man walked over, he was dressed in army fatigues.

"Sorry Detective, but that ain't gonna happen. Your boys are going home."

* * *

"Join you?" Charlie repeated "Join you. What have you got a training program or something?" 

Patrick shrugged,"Something like that." Charlie smiled, this was so absurd it was funny, she stood up.

"Go to hell." Instantly Charlie's face had hardened, "I wouldn't join you for the world. You killed my mum, I watched you do it. I was helpless, nothing I could do, mum had made me promise. I ran away, I blocked it out, ended up here. Never went to the police, never told them, mum had made me promise. She thought you'd leave me alone." Throughout her tirade she'd moved forward, poking her dad with every sentence, to punctuate it. She'd backed him into a wall, Shane pulled her roughly back. There was nothing Patrick could think of to say to that, it was true every word.

"Boss, it's nearly 9 o'clock." Patrick nodded, out of an arm holster he withdrew a pistol.

"Goodbye Charlie." Then three things happened, the lights went off, flash grenades smashed through the windows and Charlie tackled Patrick, struggling for the gun, it went off.

* * *

"We are all gathered here today, to commerate the loss of a young life. This young lady was like no other and I know she will be greatly missed. Please turn in your hymn books to page 259. All things bright and beautiful." the congregation stood and began singing. Both Meryl and Lizzy struggled through their tears, although many people were crying. They remembered how she had hung around reception all the time or the cups of tea they'd had together. After four more hymns,a sermon from the vicar, and three eucologies it was time to wrap this thing up."A bright, enigmatic young lady, may she rest in peace."

* * *

A week later Paul went to put flowers on his fionce Samanthas grave. He'd asked her to marry him during the siege. They'd met at St Thomas's hospital, she was at nursing school and he drove ambulances, it had been love at first sight. But when she graduated she'd moved up here to get a job and he'd been transferred, they'd lost touch, now she was dead. Paul cried, he cried for missed oppertunities, he cried for the life he'd now never have, he cried until he could cry no more. 

Whatever you do, live for today, because you never know about tomorrow.


	9. No Matter What

**Episode**  
9/12 No matter what

**Review**  
Wedding bells are ringing in Elsinby, Who's getting married and with an accident on the moors will they make it? 60's drama starring Robert Daws and Amy Robbins

**Cast list**  
Robert Daws, Amy Robbins, Paul Fox, Polly Maberly, Wendy Craig, Michael Starke, Andy Wear, Zoie Kennedy, Linda Armstrong, Michelle Hardwick, Dennis Lil, Daniel Feltham and Sophie Foster

* * *

"Dearly beloved, we are all gathered here today to join in holy matrimony, this man and this woman." The vicar paused and surreptitiously glanced at his watch, he would have to hurry now or he'd be late for choir practice. 

"Do you Jillian Alice Weatherall take . ." _'Crash' _the door at the back of the church burst open, Gordon ran through it and up the aisle.

"Sorry I'm late, there was an emergency and the roads." Gordon apologised between gasps for breath. "Jeff couldn't make it, because of the emergency." Meryl smiled and moved to allow Gordon to take his position at the alter.

"Right now where was I? Oh yes. Do you Jillian Alice Weatherall take Gordon Terry Omerod to be your lawful wedded husband? To have and to . ." Ten minutes later the vicar apologised profusely and left in hurry, leaving Gordon, Jill and Meryl to lock up.

"Pretty good rehearsal I thought." Gordon commented. "Well apart from being chronically late that is." Jill nodded in agreement.

"Yes, don't do that next week will you?"

"I won't be able to stand in for you then." Meryl added smiling at the thought. Gordon put his hand on his heart.

"I promise that no matter what next week I'll be here and we'll get married." Jill smiled, that was good enough for her, Gordon never broke his promises.

* * *

"Mr Caldwell, Mr Caldwell!" Ken shouted, tapping him on the face. "Don't just stand there, go get help!" Ken yelled at Mr Harper who was standing stock still staring in shock at the prone figure of Julian Caldwell. 

"I didn't mean . . It was . . Is he alright?" Mr Harper gabbled.

"He'd be a lot better if had some medical attention, seeing as you won't go get help, I'll have to go. Stay with him." Mr Harper's eyes opened if it was possible even wider and without another word he ran off in the direction of casualty. Ken shook his head with disgust, really Mr Harper was pathetic, he didn't have what it took to work in a hospital, he was too sensitive. A minute later Jeff came running up the corridor minus Mr Harper.

"What happened Ken?" Jeff asked, checking Mr Caldwells vital signs, they were strong, there was no apparent head injury, it looked like he'd just passed out.

"Stock check, Mr Harper finished up, forgot he'd asked him to be there and locked him in. If Matron hadn't sent me to get another bed pan then . . Matron." Ken's face twisted as if he was in pain, Matron would be so cross, she'd wanted it quickly.

"It's alright Ken I'll explain to Matron. Look he's starting to come round now, help me to get him into casualty."

* * *

Meanwhile on Milner ward, Matron as predicted was getting cross and impatient. This was the last job to do and then morning ward rounds would be complete. Matron sighed, she'd chase it up this afternoon, it was only to keep to the numbers of each item that were meant to be on the wards at any given time. 

"So Sister, you all ready for the wedding?" Matron asked, sitting down opposite her.

"Yes Matron, it's lovely to see Dr Omerod happy again. He and Dr Weatherall are well suited." Sister Bridget replied, not looking up from the paperwork she was doing, she was frightened her facial expression might give her away. It wasn't that she didn't mean every word, it was that it hurt her to say it, because she had forbidden feelings for Dr Omerod.

"Yes I agree," Matron paused, she hadn't noticed Sister Bridget's manner, but she did think that this wasn't the best line of conversation to pursue about the wedding, after all she wasn't a gossip what was past was past, let them be happy.

"I've got a really lovely hat on order." Matron changed the subject, Sister Bridget smiled pleased. "I haven't had a new hat in ages." Matron went on.

* * *

A little later Mr Caldwell had come round, he was now rather embarrassed and uncooperative Jeff thought. He had run numerous tests, the results would arrive tomorrow, he didn't think that they would show anything though. 

"Lucy, got a minute?" Jeff called, Lucy smiled and told the patient she was with that she'd be right back.

"What is it Jeff? Lucy asked

"I've got a patient I think you should have a look at. He passed out this morning and . ."

"Not Mr Caldwell?" Lucy interrupted.

"Yes as a matter of fact. My gut instinct on this one is that there is nothing physically wrong with him, although I 'm running tests to make sure." Lucy nodded,

"I'll see if I can fit him in this afternoon." Jeff smiled

"Thanks, there is one other thing you can do for me though."

"What's that?"

"Have dinner with me tonight."

* * *

That afternoon Ken and Alun normally had off, but today they were working. They had been asked by Jill and Gordon to organize the reception. 

"Right Alun, what do we need?" Ken wondered aloud, pulling out a notepad while Alun put the kettle on. "We need a band, booze, a venue. What else? Oh yeah food."

"Dr Weatheralls organizing the cake, we just have to do get everything else." Alun added remembering, handing Ken a cup of tea.

"That's right. I don't think there's anything else at the moment. When we've got a venue sorted we'll get seating. Now where shall we have it?" They both thought for a moment, trying to think of an appropriate big enough place. If it had been the summer then they could have had it outside with a marquee, but it was the middle of winter and snow was on the ground.

"How about here, you know in the conference room like Dr Kleins birthday party." Alun suggested, Ken rolled his eyes.

"It wasn't meant to be for Dr Kleins birthday you divit, but that isn't a bad idea. Dr Omerod specifically said nothing to formal, only problem is where would the band go."

"If we get a band, it was murder getting one last year for the ball and my cousin isn't around anymore." Alun pointed out, Ken thought for a moment.

"I remember, perhaps we don't have to get a band at all, it would save all the hassle and cost, plus we'd have to find a different venue. I'll ask Dr Omerod."

* * *

That afternoon Lucy managed to find time to go and see Julian Caldwell, he was in a private room under observation, Lucy knocked. 

"Come in." he called, "Dr Klein, what a pleasant surprise, please sit." Lucy sat in the chair beside the bed, it wasn't very comfortable. "Now what can I do for you?"

"Dr Goodwin asked me to talk to you, to see . . ."

"Oh, well I guess you can't ignore something forever. Unlike childhood fears." he interrupted. "I never told anybody what happened to me when the IRA came. One of them called himself Paul Wilde, pretending to be our new ambulance driver. He came to my office, produced a gun and interrogated me. I was the safety net incase Dr Omerod, Dr Weatherall and Charlie didn't turn up. He had a radio, when they did turn up I was no longer any use to them. He locked me in my cupboard, I was in there for four and a half hours."

"Now you're terrified of being locked in, or stuck in a place you can't get of." Lucy finished, Julian Caldwell nodded evidently ashamed. "Don't worry, that's nothing that can't be solved."

* * *

The day before the wedding it was chaos is the Omerod household, Jill was getting her things read to go to Meryl's flat straight after work tonight, she didn't want Gordon to see her in her wedding dress before the wedding because it was meant to be bad luck and she didn't want anything to go wrong. 

Gordon was getting Charlie's room ready for Henry who was going to stay with them for a couple of weeks to look after the children while Gordon and Jill were on their honeymoon. Then Henry arrived and Tom and Katy immediately forgot that they were meant to be getting ready for school and went to chase around him.

Charlie had got the breakfast that morning which would have been a good idea except for the fact that they had toast in the morning, she'd burnt it setting off the smoke alarm. It seemed to Gordon and Jill that they were never going to be ready to leave everything was so mad, but eventually it all calmed down and half an hour later they were ready to leave. Gordon and Jill set off for work and Henry took the kids to school. Gordon groaned when he thought about tomorrow, it would be even worse, still Jill's mum was coming over to help tomorrow so it couldn't be that bad, could it?

* * *

Meanwhile at the hospital Mr Harper was getting on everybody's nerves, just like when they'd had the ball last year he was prying and snooping around, trying to make trouble. He'd noted that both Gordon and Jill were late and would have reprimanded them but Julian Caldwell stepped in, giving him quite a reprimand himself. 

Having not been allowed to follow up on that Mr Harper went back to his favourite prey, Ken and Alun. He just knew that he was going to catch them working on the wedding and not on hospital business, he practically salivated at the thought of being able to perhaps terminate Hopkirk. Ken and Alun knew all this of course and so they made sure that whenever Mr Harper was around they were vigilantly doing some hospital business.

"Pst Lizzy." Ken whispered, he was hiding in the doorway that led into reception from outside, Mr Harper was in his office with the door open, watching every movement that he could see, so he was hiding from him.

"What is, atchoo." Lizzy sneezed, turning towards her dad, he gestured frantically for her to look away.

"I'm hiding from Mr Harper." he mouthed pointing in the direction of Mr Harper's office. Lizzy nodded and pointedly looked in the other direction. "The booze for tomorrow just arrived, distract Mr Harper for us while we get it sorted."

"Sure ah . . atchoo." Lizzy sneezed again. Inside his office Mr Harper was getting suspicious, he watched Lizzy carefully for five minutes, not seeing her do anything she shouldn't be doing except sneeze he put it down to paranoia and got on with his paperwork.

* * *

Outside the hospital, Ken and Alun were unloading boxes from a van, (it had brought the food for tomorrow as well as the alcohol), which had pulled into the place where ambulances parked to deliver patients to casualty. At the moment they hadn't thought of a safe place to put them, Mr Harper had taken Ken's key to the conference room so they couldn't put them there until tomorrow. They were halfway through unloading when Dr Rose arrived. 

"Good morning. What's going on here then?" he asked, looking at the proceedings with interest, but not making a move to help.

"Alcohol and food for tomorrow." Alun replied, breathing heavily. Dr Rose nodded

"Oh well I'll leave you to it then, I have to get to surgery unless I want to miss my round of golf." Just then Lizzie ran out of the casualty entrance.

"Ah . . atchoo, it's ah . . ah . . atchoo."

"What?" Ken asked exasperatedly.

"It's Mr Harper, he's coming this way, I couldn't head ah . . atchoo." Lizzy sneezed, heading back indoors now she'd delivered her message, she was feeling quite cold.

"That man." Dr Rose spat, "Don't worry, keep up the good work, I'll head him off." and with that Dr Rose marched off puffing on his pipe, in the direction Mr Harper would be coming. Ken and Alun exchanged a glance, they wouldn't like to be Mr Harper when Dr Rose caught up with him.

A minute later Dr Rose found Mr Harper, he was just coming out of Ken and Alun porters room, with a triumphant look on his face. When Dr Rose spotted his he took his pipe out of his mouth, he meant business.

"Harper, a word, now!" Dr Rose boomed, Mr Harper cringed, he remembered the last time Dr Rose had wanted a word with him, it had ended up with him giving Hopkirk flowers and indefinite paid leave from the hospital.

"Dr Rose. I'm a little busy right now." Mr Harper greeted, trying to sidle past him, but Dr Rose wasn't put off that easy.

"No now Harper! I've heard that your trying your very best to spoil this wedding."

Mr Harper said nothing, the accusation was only partially true, he was in actual fact only trying to make sure that the wedding didn't interfere in any way with he smooth running of the hospital and that hospital duties weren't neglected because of it, but anything he said to defend himself Dr Rose would twist and he wanted this encounter to be as short as possible.

"Nothing to say hmm." Dr Rose glared with steely eyes at him. "If I hear that you try and interfere again once more, in anything to do with the wedding then, then I won't be responsible for my actions." Dr Rose lit his pipe again and started puffing it,

"Dismissed." he then turned on his heel and headed towards the operating room, leaving a very shocked Mr Harper.

* * *

A little later at reception Lizzy was attempting to file the mornings patients notes and to get out the afternoons, but she was having problems concentrating. She had a splitting headache, she felt cold and she kept sneezing, but most of all she was terrified someone would notice. 

"Afternoon Lizzy." Jeff greeted handing her his patients notes, then getting two cups of coffee from the machine, one for himself and one for Lucy.

"Aft . . after, ah . . atchoo." Lizzy sneezed, wiping her running eyes quickly and blowing her nose. Jeff frowned and he put down the coffee cups.

"Are you feeling alright?" Jeff asked

"Fine doctor. Ah . . atchoo." Jeff smiled, she was obviously lying, he put a hand on her forehead, she was burning up.

"Lizzy you've got the flu, go home." Jeff told her kindly

"But I can't have, it's the wedding tomorrow." Lizzy wailed, Jeff looked at her sympathetically

"I know it's a shame, but don't worry Charlie's going to be taking lot's of pictures and we'll save you a piece of cake. We can't have you sneezing over everybody at the wedding just like we can't have you sneezing all over the patients. Go home." Jeff told her firmly, he then rifled through the leaflets on display beside reception, he found the one he was looking for. "Follow the instructions in here, you know the type of thing, keep your fluid level up by drinking plenty." Lizzy took the leaflet wordlessly looking really downcast.

"Now you wait here, I'll go get your dad to drive you home."

* * *

The next day was the day of the wedding, Gordon had thought it would have been absolute bedlam but Jill's mum, Laura had arrived early and had got everybody sorted. Gordon had never met her before and he didn't know what he'd expected. He'd known she had been a headmistress in a girls school for years, it certainly showed in her skill of organization. You also knew that when she gave you an order you had to carry it out, but she wasn't tough or mean or nasty like Gordon remembered his teachers had been like, she was fair and kind, the children loved her instantly. He should have known, he should have realised that Jill wouldn't be half the person she was if she hadn't had a mother just like her to set an example. 

At ten o'clock they set off for the church, the wedding was at half past, in ten minutes Gordon and Jeff would leave. They would all be early but it was better than being late, and with the roads in the condition they were with all the ice and snow, the more time they had on their side the better. So at ten past ten they set off, Gordon was nervous though he didn't know why. Today was going to be the best day of his life, the day he married the woman of his dreams, the one he loved with all his heart, the one he was going to spend the rest of his life with.

They were halfway there when disaster struck. A man waved them down, they could see what was probably his car parked at the side of the road and he was pointing to a car which was off the road, halfway in a ditch. Jeff stopped immediately and they both got out, Jeff fired questions at the man as he ran towards the car.

"What happened?" Jeff slid down the ditch getting muddy snow all over his trousers, Gordon came down the other side being more careful. Jeff tried the drivers door, it was jammed shut, Gordon tried the passenger door it opened easily, Gordon climbed in after brushing the glass of the seat to examine the driver.

"I was just coming round the bend, he was going way to fast sliding all over the place. He swerved hard to avoid me and ran off the road. It wasn't my fault . . I didn't mean . . he will be alright won't he?" the man asked looking really worried and upset.

"He's in a bad way." Gordon told him, "Where's the nearest phone?"

"I don't know!" the man exclaimed, "We're in the middle of the moors." Jeff and Gordon exchanged a glance.

"I'll go see if I can find a phone, to call an ambulance." Gordon stood up and brushed the snow off his trousers, climbing back up out of the ditch.

"There's no time Gordon." Jeff shouted, "We need to get him back to the royal now." Gordon thought hard for a moment and checked his watch, they'd left early and made good time. If they went back now he'd be fifteen minutes late, but he could phone when they got back, he'd need to anyway, to contact Dr Rose, Jeff could stay behind to do anaesthetics, he'd just have to get someone else to be best man, it didn't matter who, perhaps Ken.

"Alright." Gordon agreed, he then climbed back down into the ditch and helped Jeff get the badly injured driver out of the car. They'd checked for any obvious signs of a broken neck or back, but they weren't foolproof, but if he lived being paralysed would be the least of his problems. The man was more of a hindrance than a help, in getting the driver to the car, Jeff and Gordon laid him carefully on the back seat, Jeff then climbed in the back with him, crouching in the seat well so he could monitor him on the drive to the royal.

"You." Gordon pointed at the man. "Drive to the nearest house you can find and call the police, then come back here and wait for them. They'll need to secure the site and to question you, do you understand." the man nodded, that at least took care of that problem Gordon thought as he turned the key.

* * *

Meanwhile at the church Jill was getting worried, she'd arrived at exactly 10.30 expecting to be able to just walk down the aisle. Instead she found that the groom and the best man, Gordon and Jeff hadn't arrived yet. No-one could understand it. 

"They were going to leave ten minutes after us, it took us ten minutes to get here. They should have been here ten minutes ago." Laura told Jill, they were sitting in the vestry waiting, Jill's dad Simon was standing watch outside.

"Where is he? He'd be here, he promised, he said hell or high water he'd be here. What if something's happened to him? What if they had an accident?" Jill wondered aloud, she started pacing the small room, it was a way of letting her anxiety out.

"I'm sure he's fine, I don't know where he is, but I'm sure that at this very moment he'll be thinking of you and he'll be wishing he was here, but that whatever it is that's keeping him from being here is important and he knows that you'll understand." Jill looked at her mother, she knew she was probably right but that did nothing to ease her worry, the roads were treacherous, he could have had an accident. "You should have seen him this morning." Laura went on, "I've never seen anyone so nervous, the first day of school just can't compare." Jill had been studying the floor turned her head sharply.

"You don't think he's got cold feet?" Laura shook her head

"No, no, not that type of nervousness. It was more anticipation, he loves you so much and he wants to spend the rest of his life with you. I mean weren't you nervous this morning, worried about fluffing your lines." Jill smiled, she had been nervous this morning, but it had been a good kind of nervous and it was nice to know that Gordon even though he'd done this before had felt the same way.

* * *

Outside the church Meryl and Paul were sitting on a bench, it was cold but Paul didn't want to sit inside and Meryl was watching for Gordon's car unable to bear the tension in the church. Paul cleared his throat nervously, he'd been waiting for a chance to talk to Meryl alone for days now, ever since he'd learnt something, now seemed as good a time as any. 

"I heard that your boyfriend died, that true?" Paul asked, looking at Meryl. Meryl closed her eyes, she'd been expecting this ever since Samantha had died, and now seemed a good a time as any to talk about it.

"Yes David, he was a doctor at the royal, he died the rugby match against Ashfordly General, an anyrosm." Paul nodded understanding, "It happened over a year ago now."

"How did you get over it?"

"I don't know, at first it was very hard, but over time it got easier. I guess I kind of threw myself into my work, that hurt in a way because I'd often worked with David, but my work was and always had been very important to me. Samantha also helped, she came when I needed a friend the most, she helped take my mind off things and was always there when I needed someone, a true friend." Paul silently digested what she'd said and formed another question to ask.

"They call the children's ward, Cheriton Ward but it's name above the door is Conway, so it's obviously unofficial. Is it named after David." Meryl nodded smiling, tears now in her eyes.

"Yes, Mr Middleditch wanted to rename it but David's mum wouldn't have it. So we just call it that unofficially, a fitting tribute, David loved children."

"I'd like to do something in memory of Sam like that. I've spoken to Dr Rose and he thinks it's a good idea. I just don't have a clue what to do, I didn't know Sam when she lived up here, I don't know what meant a lot to her. Any ideas?"

"Well . . " Meryl began

* * *

In record time Gordon screeched to a halt outside casualty, without even pausing to turn the engine off he ran inside to find a deserted casualty, grumbling about there never being a nurse when you need one he found a gurney and ran outside again. With some difficulty he and Jeff put their patient on the gurney, he was in a really bad way. They got him inside and without taking him off the gurney started a drip and other measures necessary to save his life. 

When that was done, Gordon started prepping him for surgery while Jeff went to phone Dr Rose. Several miles away the phone in the vestry started ringing making Jill and Laura jump, the vicar who was talking to the congregation outside came in to answer it.

"Ashfordly Church."

"This is The Royal, I need to talk to Dr Rose, can you get him for me please?" Jeff asked, looking at his watch, it was 10.45, they were fifteen minutes late. Wordlessly the vicar put the phone down, he then went into the main part of the church and shouted.

"Dr Rose, telephone for you. It's The Royal." Dr Rose who had been talking to Julian Caldwell and Matron came at once, he was in a bad mood because the vicar had confiscated his pipe, to make sure that he wouldn't smoke during the proceedings saying he would give it back when he left the church grounds.

"Yes Rose here." Dr Rose picked up the telephone absent mindedly reaching for his pipe annoying himself when he remembered it wasn't there.

"Dr Rose, you're needed back here right away, a patient was just brought in and he needs surgery right away." Jeff told him.

"Dr Goodwin is that you? What are you doing at The Royal?" Hearing this Jill jumped up, her heart beating a mile a minute, was it Gordon?

"There was an accident on the moors. We had to get the driver back here right away, there wasn't time to find a phone and call an ambulance. Gordon's here with me, he'll leave as soon as he can." Jeff explained.

"Right, I'll leave right away, I'll probably get there fifteen minutes." Dr Rose told him

"Thanks." Jeff hung up and went back to the pre-op room where they had their patient. Dr Rose turned to Jill to let her know what was happening.

"Gordon is fine, he's at The Royal, there was an accident on the moors. They had to get the driver to the hospital quickly so they took him themselves. He'll probably leave when I get there." Jill sighed with relief, Gordon was ok, it was just circumstances beyond his control. He couldn't have very well said

"Excuse me." the vicar cleared his throat nervously. "That would make the groom arrive at the earliest 11.15."

"Yes what of it?" Dr Rose asked, glaring at him, making the vicar even more nervous.

"I have a christening booked for 11.45, there isn't time for the wedding."

* * *

Meanwhile at The Royal, Gordon and Jeff were using every skill they had to keep their patient alive until Dr Rose got there. Neither of them had had the time to go and find a nurse or one of the relief doctors from Ashfordly General, both of them were hoping that they would be come across soon but nobody appeared to be doing any rounds. It was very unusual for the hospital to be so quiet, but both Jeff and Gordon understood that in a strange hospital staff were likely to say together particularly after the siege, despite this there prayers were answered. 

"Problem, anything I can help with?" a voice asked, Jeff quickly looked up, he didn't recognise him, he wasn't from Ashfordly General.

"You the locum surgeon?" he asked.

"Yeah, Dr Daniel Travis. Shouldn't you be at the church?" Daniel asked, instinctively moving over to access the patient.

"I'm late, I promised I wouldn't be, there was an accident, what could we do?" Gordon replied.

"Let us take over," Daniel looked at his watch and grimaced. "Better late than never."

"Us?" Jeff frowned.

"What, oh yeah." Daniel stuck his head round the door. "Dr Alway, you're needed." he yelled, five seconds later Dr Alway appeared.

"Shouldn't you be . .?" he began taking in the scene before him.

"Leaving now, good luck." Gordon told him while running past, Jeff right behind him. "Thanks." Gordon yelled over his shoulder, just as they were running past the reception desk the phone rang, Gordon groaned

"What now?" he moaned, "The Royal . . we're just . . Ok I understand." Gordon put the phone down and stared miserably at it.

"Gordon . .?" Jeff began, Gordon looked up,

"It's over, they're on their way back. I broke my promise." Jeff shifted uncomfortably, not meeting Gordon's eye, it was his fault, he could have got that other driver to drive him back they could have called the police from here, then Gordon could have gone, but no he'd insisted and now he'd ruined what should have been the happiest day of his friends life. Suddenly the silence was broken, it was Dr Travis.

"Look um, I'm sorry about this, but if you don't have a wedding to go to could you give us a hand. Wordlessly Gordon stood up and walked back to the pre-op room.

* * *

A little later the wedding party arrived back at The Royal, by then Dr Travis and Dr Alway were operating on the patient with Dr Rose's help. Gordon had gone back to his office, unable to face everybody, he felt so guilty. He never broke his promises and he had today, today he'd broken what was perhaps one of the most important ever. 

Jeff met everyone, he and Ken decided along with Jill's mum Laura that people needed a place to go so they unlocked the conference room where the reception was to have taken place. Ken didn't know when the wedding would be rescheduled for but he knew he could get everything organised again, the food was perishable anyway so it couldn't have kept, he didn't know what they were going to do with the wedding cake. Jill went to find Gordon, as soon as she saw him she burst into tears making him feel worse than ever.

"I'm so sorry Jill." Gordon apologised, hugging her tight, "I know I promised and . . "

"It wasn't your fault." Jill told him in between sobs, her makeup running down her face. "You had to save his life, it's what you're trained to do." Gordon looked her in the eye, he'd known deep down that she would understand, he just felt so, so awful that he'd ruined the day for her.

* * *

Over in the operating theatre Dr Rose took over completely from Dr Travis, it wasn't that Dr Travis wasn't any good, in fact he was very good, it was that Dr Rose was the higher ranking surgeon there and this patient needed the best to survive. Dr Rose then sent Dr Travis out of the operating room, it was easier for him to concentrate that way, not feeling that he was being watched and judged, Dr Travis understood completely, he would have done the same thing. On his way to reception and the coffee machine Dr Travis bumped literally into Charlie. 

"Sorry." they apologised simultaneously.

"Dr Travis, Daniel Travis." Daniel offered his hand politely.

"Charlie Omerod." Charlie shook the offered hand, "You must be the locum for Jill, well supposed to be."

"Yeah I know, the weddings been called off. It's such a shame." Daniel pulled a face.

"Isn't it just, particularly all they've been through to get here today." Charlie commented

"You must be Gordon's daughter." Daniel stated, not knowing he was wrong, Charlie didn't bother to correct him, she was staring at a point just above Daniel's left shoulder. "Are you ok?" Daniel asked, feeling suddenly uneasy.

"I'm fine," Charlie replied slowly, "I just had an idea, but I'll need your help."

* * *

At 4.20pm Charlie's plan was put into action, to make it work the help of Ken, Alun, Jeff, Meryl, Laura, Matron and Julian Caldwell had been needed, but they'd all willingly and gladly helped. Laura, Meryl and Jeff had kept Gordon and Jill in Gordon's office all afternoon, they'd brought them food from the reception so they weren't hungry. Neither of them had any inclination to venture out though, Gordon because he was to ashamed and Jill because she now felt self-concious in her dress, she'd asked for someone to get her the clothes she had been going to change into but they hadn't appeared. 

So at 4.20pm Laura left the office, on the pretext she was going to see whether people had left yet and to see how they were going to get home. At 4.25pm Jeff spoke for what was probably the first time that afternoon, he felt as bad as Gordon, responsible for ruining the day.

"Come on Gordon, let's go see what's going on yeah." Jeff stood up reaching for the door handle.

"Laura just went, I'd rather stay here." Gordon replied, "He wouldn't rather stay here, he'd rather a hole appeared in the floor and swallowed him up, he didn't want company but it had been foisted upon him all afternoon.

"No she went to see how people were getting home. Come on, getting out of this office will do you good, you've been cooped up in here all afternoon." Jeff tried again, Gordon sighed, he could have sworn that he'd been made to stay here but seeing as he didn't want to go out that might not be true, it could have been his idea.

"Ok seeing as you're not going to give up." Gordon stood up and followed Jeff out the door, now it was just Jill and Meryl left.

"Why don't we touch your makeup up yeah." Meryl said, reaching into her bag for the necessary items. "You look a mess."

"Do I?" Jill asked, it was a question that required no answer, she knew she did, but she didn't really care at the moment.

"Yeah you do, now let's just fix you up." A few minutes later Jill looked as good as she had that morning, except for the fact she looked miserable, this morning she'd looked happy and nervous. Just then a knock came at the door, it was Charlie.

"Meryl, Matron want's you. She's at reception." Charlie told her looking a little nervous, Meryl smiled at Jill and shot a look of encouragement at Charlie and left, leaving Jill and Charlie.

"Jill." Charlie started, "I'm sorry about today, everyone's going to be leaving soon so you can go, but first I guess you'll want to get changed. Your clothes are in your office waiting for you." Jill stood up and followed Charlie out of the door, she didn't notice that Charlie was leading her the wrong way until they reached casualty.

"Charlie, this is casualty." Jill said wearily

"Yeah I know, the other corridors blocked so you have to go through reception." Jill wondered why the other corridor was blocked, but didn't question it, instead following Charlie outside and round the hospital to the reception door.

Outside the door stood Jill's dad Frank stood, he was holding her bouquet, he handed it to her wordlessly, lifted her veil down and offered her his arm. Jill frowned, something was going on, but she didn't know what it was, she looked back at Charlie and saw her grinning like mad. Then she stepped into reception or what had been reception, it had been completely transformed. There were rows of seats either side of a red runner carpet, everybody from the church was sitting there, they turned around to look at Jill when they heard her enter. Over on the reception desk there was a record player Meryl placed the needle and the musical notes of '_Here comes the bride_' filled the room. At the end of the red carpet stood Gordon, he smiled when he saw her, she could see from his eyes that this was as much of a surprise to him as it was to her. Behind Gordon stood Jeff who was wearing the same grin as Charlie, at the end of the red carpet there was a lectern, behind that stood the vicar, the one who'd dashed her hopes that morning. In not time at all Jill reached the end of the makeshift aisle, her father lifted her veil and kissed her lightly on her cheek. Jill looked at Gordon and whispered.

"How on earth?"

"Charlie." Gordon replied simply, a longer explanation could wait and would have to because the vicar cleared his throat, he was ready to begin.

"Dearly beloved," the vicar began, then a flash blinded him and there was a quiet_ 'Click' _

"Charlie!" everyone yelled, Charlie who was in the aisle with the camera went bright red and disappeared somewhere like a shot.

"We are all gathered here today to join in holy matrimony, this man and this woman." the vicar continued, hoping and praying there would be no more interruptions. "Do you Jillian Alice Weatherall take Gordon . . (Some time later) . . I now pronounce you man and wife, you may kiss the bride." Gordon leant forward and kissed Jill, Charlie this time unnoticed crept in and took a picture. Camera zooms out from just Jill and Gordon to view the entire makeshift church. Fade out

The End. In next weeks episode . . .

10/12 Dream a little Dream

Gordon dreams of the future for the royal with the new money that comes in and there is a development in the Omerod family. Meryl and Daniel make an important decision and Paul dedicates a development in the way ambulances are used at The Royal to Samantha.


	10. Funny Familiar Forgotten Feelings

**Episode**  
Xmas special - Funny familiar forgotten feelings

**Review**  
Meryl takes a shine to the new doctor Daniel Travis but feels guilty because of David. Daniel helps Sister Bridget get toys for poor children, but he is harbouring a secret. Jill and Gordon arrive home from their honeymoon.

**Cast list**  
Robert Daws, Amy Robbins, Paul Fox, Polly Maberly, Wendy Craig, Michael Starke, Andy Wear, Zoie Kennedy, Linda Armstrong, Michelle Hardwick, Dennis Lil, Daniel Feltham and Sophie Foster

* * *

It's the day after the wedding, work is going on at The Royal pretty much as usual despite the temporary staff changes. Mr Harper was manning the reception desk, Julian Caldwell had been going to call an agency and hire a receptionist until Lizzy got better, but Mr Harper had complained saying that would cost to much and that everyone would have to muck in and help. Mr Caldwell had then promptly given Mr Harper the job, _'As you said we all have to muck in and your office is just across the hall.'_. 

Dr Daniel Travis was covering Jill's patients, a few people grumbled about how they would have preferred to see a female doctor but they understood that they were few and far between and Daniel was nothing but polite and courteous putting even the most embarrassed and nervous patients at ease. Dr Alway had been meant to cover Gordon's patients but many of his old patients having heard that he was back albeit temporarily had requested to see him bringing a tear of pride to his eye when he was told.

"Good afternoon staff nurse." Daniel greeted, holding the door open into reception for her, they had both been out to lunch, Daniel to the pub and Meryl to the seafront and they were just getting back.

"Good afternoon doctor, how are you finding The Royal?" Meryl asked politely, Daniel smiled at her.

"The Royal, well I can safely say I've never worked at a hospital like it. They way you can all pull together is amazing, I mean when Charlie told me her idea yesterday I didn't think it could be done, but in less than five hours everything was in place. It was amazing, nothing short of a miracle." Daniel replied shaking his head in disbelief, Meryl laughed.

"That's The Royal, a hospital that cares."

* * *

Meanwhile Alun is at Lizzy's flat, he'd brought round the piece of cake she'd been promised along with all the news about yesterday. 

"So then just when we think it's all over and ruined you know. Charlie comes along with this new doctor in tow and tells us that the wedding is going to happen but at The Royal. Ken and me we found chairs out in one of the back sheds, they were a bit damp but no-one seemed to notice and we set them up in reception along with that red carpet we got when the queen mother visited that time, we also got that old lectern to do as an alter. Mr Caldwell and Matron kept all the guests in the conference room, some of them wanted to go home but Matron wouldn't let them." Alun told her, Lizzy started to laugh, but the laugh quickly turned into a racking cough. Alun concern in his eyes passed her some water and waited until the coughing subsided before continuing.

"Dr Goodwin and Nurse Taylor kept Dr Omerod and Dr Weatherall out of the way all afternoon, apparently it wasn't that hard, neither of them wanted to see anyone. Then by deceit and trickery both Dr Omerod and Dr Weatherall were brought to reception in turn. You should have seen their faces when they saw what had happened. Dr Omerod well he was, well he looked relieved I suppose and really happy. And Dr Weatherall well her face was a real picture, it all lit up in wonderment at how we'd done it and then she looked just like any bride I guess, completely happy."

"Awww that is so sweet." Lizzy exclaimed, "I wish I'd been there to see it, ah . . atchoo. That's even better than a wedding in a church."

"You will be able to see it, Charlie took so many pictures you'll be able to see everything." Alun smiled, "She took one just as the ceremony finally began, it might have been the last one she took, the flash blinded the vicar, everyone there yelled at her." Lizzy smiled, remembering not to laugh this time.

* * *

The next day Dr Rose called in sick with the flu, so Daniel took over all his operations that were scheduled for today, luckily there weren't many as his patient load was enormous, the holiday bugs making there presence felt. Dr Alway took as many patients as he could and the rest would have to come back after lunch or Daniel thought darkly he'd have to work through his lunch hour. 

"He didn't sound very ill." Matron remarked to Sister Bridget while she was inspecting Milner Ward

"He's probably just got a slight cold Matron." Sister Bridget replied while handing Matron the next chart to check. Matron smiled nodding wholehearted. "And poor Dr Travis has to take up the slack, he doesn't even know his way around yet."

"Yes," Matron frowned, that worried her a little, Dr Travis had been fully booked up with patients that morning and now he had surgery as well, she didn't want him rushing the operations.

_'Most of them are people with holiday viruses, we get them every year.' _Matron thought to herself, 'Most of them don't need to see a doctor at all, a bit of common sense and one of those leaflets Mr Harper got from the DHA would do it.'

"Sister, I don't have time to finish the ward round this morning. I know already everything will all be in order, it always is." Matron handed the chart back, Sister Bridget could practically see the cogs whirring. "I'm going to set up a clinic, nurses can see those patients that don't need to see a doctor." with that short explanation Matron went to organise it.

* * *

By lunchtime Daniel was exhausted, 'Though' he reflected, 'he would have been completely dead on his feet if Matron hadn't come up with that clinic idea, that had really taken the heat off.' First order of his lunchtime break was to have a big cup of coffee, it was disgusting because it had been on the boil for so long but at least it would keep him alert, he hadn't been able to have any that morning because of the tremors it caused, he couldn't risk that while he was operating. He met Meryl at the coffee machine, she to was fuelling up for the busy afternoon ahead. 

"Busy morning?" Daniel asked, he already knew the answer she'd been working with him for most of it and had then gone and worked with the clinic, but it was a good icebreaker.

"About as busy as yours." Meryl replied smiling, Daniel smiled back and his smile made her legs feel weak, she knew at the point that she did most definitely have a crush on him. Daniel continued drinking his coffee, trying desperately to think of something else to say. Meryl finished her cup and made as if to leave.

"Would you er, like to get a sandwich or something?" Daniel asked, as soon as he'd finished his sentence he was kicking himself, any number of things could happen now. Meryl smiled instantly, but then a hint of uncertainty crept into her mind, what if he was just asking as a colleague, what if he didn't really like her, well time would answer that.

"I'd like that, there's this nice cafe near the seafront, I go there most days." Meryl replied, a flash of uncertainty crossed Daniel's mind, what if she just thought of them as colleagues, what if she didn't really like him, well time would answer that.

"Sounds great, shall we go."

* * *

Everyday for the rest of that week Daniel and Meryl had lunch together, they talked and joked and laughed becoming good friends, both of them though wished it was more than that but neither of them could pluck of the courage to take that step forward. By Saturday lunchtime when they'd had lunch together five times Daniel decided to take the initiative, they were walking along the seafront in companionable silence when Daniel took Meryls hand and pulled her over to an unoccupied bench. 

"Meryl. I'm not any good at this but I really like you and if um, if you're not doing anything tonight there's this new film on at the pictures, would you like to come see it with me?" Meryl looked at Daniel, his face was a picture of uncertainty, apprehension and nervousness, without thinking about it Meryl replied.

"I'd love to come." Hearing her reply Daniel beamed broadly

"So I'll pick you up at 7.30." Meryl nodded and they resumed walking along the seafront, this time holding hands

* * *

All that afternoon Meryl couldn't think about anything else, she'd wanted Daniel to ask her out ever since she'd first met him but now he had she didn't want it after all. The prospect of going on a date with him frightened her, not because he wasn't a nice man, he was lovely, but because it meant that she had forgotten David. At six o'clock Meryl's shift ended, she hung around till 6.30 just finishing jobs up, even creating a few. No-one noticed except Ken, he should have gone home at six but he was waiting for a delivery of kettles that he was going to hold for his brother in-laws nephew for a couple of days. 

"You alright Staff?" Ken asked kindly, "Aren't you have meant to have knocked off by now?" Meryl looked at Ken with tears in her eyes, suddenly remembering last Christmas when the TV crew had been there. 'If you ever need to talk I'm always here you know.' "What is it Staff, what's the matter?" Ken guided Meryl over to the bench that for some reason was outside the entrance to casualty.

"Ken, Daniel Dr Travis asked me to the pictures tonight and I said yes." Ken frowned, that should be good news, why was she so upset. "But that means I've forgotten David." At that Meryl couldn't hold the tears back anymore and she wept, Ken put his arm round her and let her cry on his shoulder, he made soothing noises until the crying stopped.

"Just because you like someone else doesn't mean you've forgotten Dr Cheriton, it just means you're getting on with your life. I'm sure that he would have wanted that." Ken told her.

"You think." Meryl sniffed, looking hopefully at Ken.

"I know." he replied smiling gentley. "Now, shouldn't you be going to get ready for your date." Meryl laughed.

* * *

As promised Daniel was there at 7.30 to pick her up, Meryl realised then that she'd never seen his car and what a car, it was a 1965 pearl blue soft-top Cadillac. The other nurses who couldn't help but notice that Meryl was going out, and for the first time since Samantha died, were all peering out of the windows to see what was happening. there were many admiring glances and some looks of pure jealousy when Meryl got in the car, she wasn't the only one who had a crush on the new handsome doctor. 

"You ready?" Daniel asked looking across at her unable to stop an admiring smirk crossing his face as he checked her out, she was dressed in a modest sea green dress that complimented her well. Meryl reading his expression fidgeted nervously, it had been a year and a half since her last first date and this one was extra difficult anyway.

"Yes." Meryl replied, she then realised she didn't actually know what film they were going to see. "What film are we watching?" Meryl asked, Daniel shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"Well you have a choice, the pictures here are showing a French language film, however the pictures in Asfordly are showing the latest James Bond." Daniel paused then, long enough to let his feelings on the matter known before he added, "Naturally you can choose of course." Meryl smiled, she knew when she'd been had, neither films were really her thing though so it didn't matter.

"I've never liked French foreign films, they were more Samantha's thing, James Bond sounds fine." Daniel breathed a silent sigh of relief, he looked at Meryl and flashed her a grin.

"Names Bond, James Bond." Daniel joked raising his eyebrow trying to look like Bond, Meryl laughed this was going to be a good date.

After the film they went for a walk on the seafront, it had a different atmosphere at night, it was private and romantic. They soon found a private spot that overlooked the sea, Daniel leant on the railing and stared out to sea, Meryl watched him suddenly becoming aware of how cold she felt. Involuntarily she shivered, Daniel noticed and immediately took off his jacket which he draped over her shoulders.

"Here, you're freezing." Daniel told her. "The sea breeze, chilly in summer, it is December." Meryl nodded agreement clearly still cold, Daniel put his arm round her. "Come on lets walk back, there's a very good heater in my car." In no time at all they'd walked back to Daniel's car, he put the heater on, he was right it was very efficient, soon Meryl was warm again.

Sorry about that." Meryl apologised not looking at Daniel, that had been really romantic and she felt like she'd ruined part of the date.

"No problem." Daniel replied glancing across and smiling then looking back at the wheel, after a minute of uncomfortable silence Daniel reached across and stroked Meryl's face, Meryl looked into his eyes and on impulse both of them leant forward and they began kissing, at first it was nervous just brushing of the lips but soon became passionate, they both felt an instant connection, after a few minutes Daniel drove her back to the nurses home.

* * *

"Morning Staff Nurse." Daniel smiled at reception, picking up his patient notes from Lizzy. 

"Good morning Doctor." Meryl replied, not looking in Daniel's direction for fear she might burst out laughing, even though everyone knew they were an item it was easier working together if they were formal, it made for a funny charade. With a wink Daniel made his way to Milner ward, he had a patient he wanted to check up on before morning surgery, to get there he had to pass the staff kitchen, inside he could here someone crying.

"What's the matter Sister?" Daniel asked, handing Sister Bridget his hanky.

"Every year I collect unwanted toys to give to the poor children so they can have a real Christmas, but this year what with one thing and another I haven't been able to get very many. It's Christmas eve tomorrow, that's when the children come and we'll have nothing to give them." Sister Bridget told him wiping her eyes. "I'm sorry doctor, it's just thinking of their faces." Daniel nodded sympathetically, thinking about how he could help.

"Leave it with me Sister, I'll sort something out. What time do the children come?"

* * *

Christmas eve was the last day Dr Alway was working at The Royal, he hadn't realised until he'd come back how much he'd missed it, retirement didn't suit some people and he was one of them. The way everyone had treated him, he felt like he'd never been away, unfortunately there was no longer a place for him in the practice, there wasn't enough work for more than three doctors, so he couldn't come back even though he wanted to. 

"Ah Dr Alway, I've been looking all over for you." Julian Caldwell smiled, "Just a couple of things, one you er haven't seen Dr Travis anywhere have you?" Dr Alway shook his head.

"Sorry no." Dr Alway looked at his watch, raising his eyebrows "He should be in by now, have you tried his office?"

"Yes, he hasn't arrived yet, or at least he hasn't checked in, that's why I was asking you. If he's not in soon, you'll have to pick up the flack and Matron will have him scrubbing bedpans or something." Dr Alway laughed, if he knew Matron that would be exactly what she might do, it was Dr Travis's last day he really should be here. "Oh and the second thing, you remember you spoke to me about how much you'd like to rejoin the practice. Well as I told you then there's not a place, however another positions come up and I really think you'd be interested. Could you come to my office this afternoon before you leave. I'll tell you all about it then."

"Yes of course, what kind of position?" Julian Caldwell just smiled in response before hurrying off, leaving Dr Alway more than a little curious and a little concerned.

* * *

Meanwhile over at the convent the poor children were arriving, looking at them Sister Bridget didn't know how she was going to break it to them, Dr Travis had never showed and she hadn't told any of the other nuns of her failure. The children would be so disappointed, they looked forward to this year after year, it was what made it Christmas for them rather than just another day. All bright-eyed and excited the children went into the room they called 'The Presents room', they all stopped at the entrance, they couldn't believe their eyes. Sister Bridget and another nun, Sister Mary weaved through the crowd of children and their parents to see what the hold up was, what they saw made them blink, pinch themselves and look again. Sister Bridget had been to caught up to notice that some men had been delivering things that morning, Sister Mary and the other nuns had noticed but had thought nothing of it. 

In the corner there was a Christmas tree, that reached up to the ceiling, it was covered in lights, baubles and tinsel, but also in sweets. By the fireplace there were brightly-coloured wrapped boxes and packages all spilling out of a red sack. The whole room was brightly lit with candles and fairy lights, and decorated so beautifully, it had never looked so festive. In the far corner of the room, sitting in the tired old armchair (one of only three bits of furniture that had been in there) sat Father Christmas.

"Ho, Ho, Ho!" he boomed, the children screamed in delight and ran forward to talk to him, several tried to sit on his knee at once and a squabble broke out. The noise level raised considerably, Mother Superior actually had to shout to make herself heard, before the children remembered the drill. They formed a neat and orderly line, Sister Bridget went forward as she did every year to hand out the presents. This time though, the child went to sit of Father Christmas's knee first, he talked to the child for a minute and asked what they wanted for Christmas, he then directed Sister Bridget to a certain box or parcel.

By the end of the morning every child had a present, it was either what they wanted or something very close to it, they were all brand new as well, a first for any of them, this toy they would treasure for years to come. There were a few presents left over which Father Christmas explained were for the children in the children's ward at The Royal, the children then left, clutching their new toys tightly, their eyes bright, the magic of Christmas having been made real for them.

"Dr Travis?" Sister Bridget asked, looking at Father Christmas, she couldn't tell under the costume. Father Christmas shook his head and removed his beard and hat.

"No Sister, I'm from an agency." he produced a card "Santa's for hire."

"Who hired you?" The hired Santa frowned

"You did, or this convent did, that's what it says on my orders anyway." the hired Santa produced his order sheet from an inside pocket in his jacket. Sister Bridget looked at it, he'd already been paid, by check.

"Who played for your services?" the hired Santa shrugged.

"I don't know, I don't take the orders, if it doesn't say I don't know. I go where they send me." the hired Santa then picked up, the few things that were his. "Oh and I won't be at that hospital this afternoon, I got told to say that was where they were going," he gestured to the extra presents, "if anybody asked, perhaps some doctors hired a costume. Have a nice Christmas Sister." the man left leaving Sister Bridget confused, but she didn't have long to dwell on it because Mother Superior was back after seeing the children off.

"How did you do it and why didn't you tell me?" Mother Superior asked, her smile lighting the room up just like the children's had. "That was magical."

"I um I got given everything by a anonymous doner." Sister Bridget replied, she was telling the truth, she suspected Dr Travis but had no idea where he'd get the money, true he had the newest, fastest, most expensive car she'd ever seen but if he was rolling in it that much surely he wouldn't be working. Mother Superior nodded excepting her answer at face value.

"Well we must thank the lord, there are some generous people out there."

* * *

Daniel was just going on his lunch break with Meryl when Sister Bridget found him, she'd come straight over from the convent to see him, despite the fact she wasn't working today, she needed to find out if it was him. 

"Dr Travis." Sister Bridget called, "Can I talk to you?"

"Sure go ahead." Daniel told her, moving away from the door so Mr Harper could come in, he was dressed in his balaclava again, Meryl followed.

"Was it you?" Sister Bridget asked, Daniel frowned.

"Was it me what?"

"Sorry, was it you who got all those presents and hired that Santa Clause for the poor children?" Meryl looked at Daniel, she didn't know anything about it, she'd know that Sister Bridget was collecting for it, she did every year but what did Daniel have to do with it.

"Heavens no, I couldn't afford it. No I um just told a friend you know about your situation. He told a friend and that friend happens to work for one of the richest men in England, who despite what many think of his actually rather generous and has a big heart. The Santa's were all booked up for this afternoon so they couldn't give any presents to the children in the children's ward, so he bought an outfit for a doctor to wear, I'm trying to get Jeff to do it but I know it'll be me. What made you think I could afford something like that?" Daniel explained smiling.

"Well you're car, it is a very nice one apparently, I don't know about these things so I could be wrong. Who is this anonymous doner though, we need to write and say thank you?"

"The car was a present from the anonymous doner when we were on good terms, as for saying thank you, I'll make sure he knows how grateful you are, he does prefer to stay anonymous." Daniel lied, there was nothing better that this anonymous doner liked than publicity, he knew which strings to pull.

"Oh I see, well make sure he get's our thanks." Daniel nodded confirmation, glad she hadn't picked up on a number of things, but he'd forgotten Meryl.

"A friend of a friend huh, the car was a present when we were on speaking terms, sounds like you're pulling strings. Who is it anyway?" Meryl asked.

"It doesn't matter, oh and this string pulling never hurt anybody, in fact it did a lot of good. I just had to go through a different route to get the information there, like I said we're not on speaking terms."

"I'm going to find out you know." Meryl told him, intrigued by the secrecy. Just then Daniel noticed his lights were up and Lizzy came looking for him.

"You're wanted in casualty doctor, emergency." Meryl opened her mouth to ask if she was needed but Lizzy showing a rare sense preempted her. "You're not needed Meryl, Matron wants you on milner ward after lunch because Sister Bridget is helping with the children's ward."

"I'll be right there Lizzy." Daniel told her, he then turned back to Meryl. "Looks like lunch is off, still on for tonight though?" Meryl nodded smiling, Daniel glanced about, no-one was around, he gave Meryl a quick kiss before hurrying off in the direction of casualty.

* * *

That evening Jill and Gordon pulled into the driveway of their house, it looked so warm, cozy and inviting, compared to the cold, snowy atmosphere outside. Gordon got the cases out of the boot then they went inside. 

Meanwhile inside the house Henry, Charlie, Katy and Tom had just finished dinner, Henry and Charlie were clearing up while Tom and Katy played in the sitting room. Charlie had the record player on, it was playing Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow by Dean Martin when Gordon's key scraped in the lock.

He and Jill entered without anybody noticing, Gordon put the cases down quietly on the hall floor and they tiptoed to look first in the sitting room. It was festively decorated with lights and tinsel everywhere, on the mantelpiece there were what looked like a whole shop full of Christmas cards, the tree looked like the decorations had been thrown on it rather than placed but Gordon wouldn't have it any other way, smiling they went back to the front hall.

"We're home." Gordon called, almost instantly Tom and Katy hurtled out of the living room and jumped on him, giving him a massive hug, they'd missed him. Henry then came out of the kitchen a tea-towel draped across his shoulder beaming.

"I thought with all the bad weather you might not get here." Henry told them, Charlie then appeared, she'd turned the record player off first.

"How was Paris?" Charlie queried, raising her eyebrows slightly, giving Jill then Gordon a welcome home hug.

"Lovely." Jill replied moving into the sitting room and sitting down on the settee, Gordon sat next to her Tom on his knee.

"Yes, really romantic." Gordon added, smiling at Jill, as he squeezed her hand.

"Did you see the Eiffel Tower?" Katy asked, her eyes wide open in excitement.

"Yes, we climbed it." Gordon replied, "We also . ."

* * *

Meanwhile back at The Royal Jeff was just finishing seeing to the last patient of the day. He yawned as he checked his chart, Sister Bridget came up behind him. She was on duty tonight so that other nurses with families could have the day off, she was also working tomorrow for the same reason. 

"Go home doctor, it's Christmas eve, I'll look after Mr Taylor for you." Sister Bridget said firmly, taking the chart away from Jeff and steering him towards the door.

"Night Sister." Jeff smiled. "Merry Christmas."

"And Merry Christmas to you. I'll see you Tuesday." Jeff nodded, he had two days off, Christmas day and boxing day, he wasn't even on call, Julian Caldwell had decided to keep Daniel Travis on until the new year, so he'd drawn the short straw. Still Jeff thought tiredly, Christmas was always quiet, if he was lucky he wouldn't have to come in at all. Yawning he turned the handle on his office door, Lucy was inside waiting for him.

"Long day huh?" she asked, handing him his bag and picking up hers, he switched off the light and they started to leave.

"Yeah." Jeff replied.

"Not to tired to have dinner with me?" Lucy smiled as they walked out into the parking lot.

"Absolutely not," Jeff looked at her in mock indignation, "I haven't made any reservations though, so it'll have to be my place or yours. Don't worry I'll cook."

"Your place and I'll cook, I've tasted your cooking." Jeff laughed.

"It's not that bad, it wasn't my fault that you distracted me." Jeff tried to defend himself as he unlocked his car.

"Oh yes, what an excuse." Lucy smiled remembering, she got in the passenger side of Jeff's car. "It is a reasonably good excuse, one I'll have to remember. Maybe tonight you can distract me." Lucy gave Jeff a lingering look, he smiled to himself, he didn't feel that tired after all now.

* * *

A little later back at Gordon and Jill's house, Katy, Tom and Charlie were all in bed, Tom and Katy were asleep but Charlie was tossing and turning, this was her first Christmas without her mum, her first Christmas with her new family, thinking of her new family brought her a warm and happy feeling, like she'd never known before. Charlie turned over for the last time and putting all thoughts of her old life firmly to the back of her mind she fell asleep. Downstairs Henry was making preparations to leave, he'd already put his presents for the children under the tree, he would have liked to see them open them but he wanted them to have them on Christmas day. 

"Please stay Henry." Gordon tried one last time, he'd been trying to persuade him all evening, ever since he'd told them he was leaving, but he wasn't having it.

"Henry we want you to stay with us. Tom and Katy would love you to stay." Jill added, Henry shook his head.

"No, my brother said I could stay with him and that's where I'm going. Maybe if you invite me I can stay next year, but this year you need to be on your own." Gordon nodded understanding, it was the second Christmas after Caroline's death, but last year hadn't really been a Christmas, he hadn't put the effort in, but this year everything was as it should be, this would be the first proper Christmas, the Christmas where he put the past behind him and welcomed in the new year with his new wife and daughter, for that was how he'd come to think of Charlie.

"Well have a safe journey, call us tomorrow, or we'll call you. Katy and Tom will like to say thank you for their presents and happy Christmas." Henry smiled and tipped his hat.

"Merry Christmas." He then got in his car and drove off, Gordon and Jill stood at the doorway and waved until he was out of sight. They then went back into the living room, earlier just after the children had gone to bed Gordon had got all the other presents out from the cupboard under the stairs, at Christmas time it was called 'Santa's magic cupboard', Katy and Tom believed that once presents were put in there they were magically transported to Father Christmas so he could deliver them. Gordon poured two glasses of wine, he handed one to Jill and they stacked the presents under the tree, in piles, a pile for Katy, a pile for Tom and a smaller pile for Charlie.

Gordon picked up a small wrapped box and handed it to Jill, she ripped off the green wrapping paper to expose a felt covered box, she opened it. Inside was a gold plated necklace, designed to fit closely around the neck. Gordon slipped it out of the box and put it around her neck clasping it. Jill went to look in the mirror, she blinked away a tear before turning around to kiss Gordon.

"You like it?" Gordon asked, he wasn't known for his taste in presents for women, he'd enlisted the help of Jeff and Lucy, them and a very patient shop assistant had helped him.

"Like it, I love it. I haven't got anything like this for you though." Jill told him.

"That doesn't matter, you've already given me the best present there is. When I wake up every morning with you lying next to me I know I'm the luckiest man alive. This past two years we've had more ups and downs than we'll probably ever have again, I couldn't have got through it without you. Thanks for being my wife, thanks for letting me love you." Jill couldn't blink fast enough to get rid of the tears that started running down her cheeks, tears of happiness. Gordon held her close and they kissed.

* * *

On the other side of Elsinby Daniel and Meryl were at Daniel's flat, he'd cooked her dinner, nothing very special, he handed her a glass of wine. 

"I thought you were on call." Meryl said gesturing to the glass of wine in Daniel's hand.

"Two glasses of wine aren't going to make me unfit to work, besides I can't let the most beautiful lady in town drink alone."

Meryl smiled, taking a sip of her wine, she put it town on the coffee table. She'd been thinking a lot over the last week, Daniel was a locum, he went where he was sent, he wasn't going to be here after the new year, so she had to make the most of every minute she had with him. It would hurt when the time came for him to leave, Meryl knew she couldn't delude herself that much, but she hoped she could cope with it, trying to shut out the feelings of love she had for him. Meryl snuggled up to him, Daniel put his arm round her and they kissed. "Meryl, I've got something I need to tell you." Daniel told her, finishing his glass of wine and putting the glass down on the table. Meryl put a finger to his lips.

"Shush." she then leant forward and they kissed, this time not stopping.


	11. Dream a Little Dream

**Episode**  
10/12 Dream a little dream

**Review**  
Gordon dreams of the future for the royal with the new money that comes in, there is a development in the Omerod family. Paul Wilde's tribute to Samantha is revealed, Daniel's past comes to light and the new year is welcomed with a bang.

**Cast list**  
Robert Daws, Amy Robbins, Paul Fox, Polly Maberly, Wendy Craig, Michael Starke, Andy Wear, Zoie Kennedy, Linda Armstrong, Michelle Hardwick, Dennis Lil, Daniel Feltham and Sophie Foster

* * *

"Come on kids, we're going to be late." Gordon called up the stairs, "Charlie, you are ok watching them aren't you. It's just for a week until the au-pair get's back. Lizzy's already told me she wants to help but she does have to work so you'll have to do it most of the time. You are ok with that right?" 

"Gordon, you've asked me that like ten times already. Yes I'm cool with it." Charlie replied rolling her eyes, Jill smiled to herself, he was over-reacting, it was christmas time, their quietest period, no-one wanted to go and see the doctor at christmas enless they absolutely had to, so patient loads would be light. They could probably 'watch' as Gordon put it, Katy and Tom most of the time. Just then Katy and Tom appeared.

"Right let's go." Gordon said, heading out towards the cars, mentally reminding himself that first thing after christmas he'd go and see about getting a bigger one, at the moment if they wanted to go out as a family they had to take two cars which was ridiculous. Gordon got in his car with Katy and Tom, Charlie went in Jill's car and they all set off to the Royal, for another working day.

* * *

Meanwhile at The Royal, Daniel was looking for Paul Wilde, when he'd got in that morning Julian Caldwell had told him to talk to him but not why, which intrigued Daniel. So he went looking for Paul before morning surgery started, he found him sitting in the cab of his ambulance. 

"Paul, Mr Caldwell told me to talk to you." Paul put down the magazine he'd been reading and jumped out of the cab.

"Yeah, Sister Bridget told him your good at finding money for worthy causes. I've got a worth cause that could do with a big injection of cash." Daniel frowned and nodded slowly.

"Ok, what cause is this?"

"My tribute to Sam, you know the nurse that died in the seige. Well I talked to Meryl, Staff Nurse Taylor and she told me about how a patient died because they couldn't be given medical treatment while in a helicopter that was transporting them to London. This patient left behind a daughter, her husband works on the oil rigs so her mother looks after the kid. This really upset Sam, her death you know so I figured that I'd make it didn't happen again. A helicopter ambulance, a helicopter that has enough room for the patient, all the medical equipment neccesary to keep them alive, a doctor and a nurse. This helicopter ambulance could also be used to get people up in the moors, you know where the roads don't go, it could save a lot of lives." Paul explained. "Mr Caldwell thinks it's a great idea, it's being kept secret though so the DHA can't interfere, you know what Harpers like, he'll have a blue fit at the amount of money it needs." Daniel nodded, leaning on the side of the ambulance, considering the proposal.

"How much money do you need?" Daniel asked, his eyes guarded, there was a limit to how much even his doner could give. Paul pulled a face.

"The whole project needs ten thousand to get off the ground." Daniel whistled.

"That's a lot of money, have you got any of yet?" Paul nodded.

"I've managed to raise a grand, Mr Caldwell said he's going to talk to Dr Omerod about possibly using some of the money that Mr Middleditch left the hospital. Even so I shouldn't think even a grand will come from there, that money's meant for things the hospital really needs."

"What about maintenance costs? How can you be sure that a doctor is going to be available, the hospital only has three, well four counting Lucy, Dr Klein?" Paul winced at hearing the words 'maintenance costs'

"A doctors always going to be available because Dr Alway is going to be taken on, just for this purpose. As he's retired and receiving a full pension he doesn't want to be paid, so that at least is one less cost to worry about. But maintenance costs are high, there's the price of a pilot to begin with, because I'm going to become the pilot and work for no the same wage I've got now, I've started training, we'll only need the pilot for a couple of months. There's also fuel, then there's the spare parts. It'll probably cost what'll average out to between fifty and a hundred pounds a month at first, closer to fifty when we don't have the pilot. Mr Caldwell is working on a proposal to put before the DHA which will hopefully mean they'll pay for it, because we want the helicopter to work not just for The Royal, but for Ashfordly General and other hospitals in this area. Mr Caldwell's hopeful that the proposal is going to be excepted, so that should be ok." Daniel frowned thinking hard, he could get the money but he'd have to come clean, there was no way his anonymous doner would want to stay anonymous for this, well somethings are bigger than ourselves.

"I'll get you the ten thousand, the one thousand you already have you can use for any of other costs or whatever. As for Mr Middledich's fund, you can leave that intact for this project." Paul beamed

"You mean it, you promise you can get it." Daniel nodded, smiling too.

"Absolutely, consider it done."

* * *

By ten-thirty all the patients that had come in had been seen. Gordon had seen them all, Jeff had done the aneasthetic duty for the one operation that had been scheduled, Daniel had operated because Mr Caldwell had told Dr Rose he could have until after the new year off, a fact Dr Rose had been delighted with. Jill had played with Tom and Katy, relieving Charlie of the burden of being responsible for them. 

Once Gordon had seen his last patient, he considered going down to Jill's office, but decided instead to do some paperwork, but he couldn't concentrate. While he'd been on his honeymoon, the news had come through from the soliciter John Steinberg that Mr Middleditch's estate had been fully liquidated and all the paperwork taken care of, so they could start spending the money as soon as they liked. Gordon tried to do the paperwork, but he couldn't, he just kept dreaming of what that money could do for The Royal, the future the hospital now had, a future that could never be taken away now, no matter what the DHA tried. The first thing they could do was to give some of the money to Paul Wilde, for his helicopter ambulance, talk about immeadiate care Gordon thought, the next step will be to get doctors and nurses permenantly on ambulances. Just then a knock came at Gordon's door.

"Come in." Gordon called, Daniel walked in, he sat down in the chair opposite Gordon's, the one normally occupied by patients. "Daniel, what can I do for you?"

"I spoke to Paul Wilde this morning, he told me about his helicopter ambulance deal and about how much he needs to get it off the ground." Gordon grunted, he would give maybe half a grand, he didn't want to deplete the fund to much. "Well um, you might not have heard but um Sister Bridget needed . . ." Gordon laughed,

"I heard, you have the ear of a very rich man." Daniel nodded

"Yeah, I just spoke into that ear and he want's to give some money to the helicopter ambulance. Actually not some money, he's going to give the full ten grand." Gordon's eyes opened wide, and he sat forward.

"What?" Gordon exclaimed, not believeing what he was hearing.

"You heard me, the full ten grand. There are a couple of conditions though, he wants there to be a ceramony. You know the type of thing, with all the press, he wants to cut the ribbon opening it. Also he want's a plaque somewhere, saying that he paid for the thing. Nothing that takes the focus of the fact that it's a tribute, but he wants to be acknowledged." Gordon frowned,

"Sister Bridget said he prefered to stay anonymous?"

"Yeah . . . about that um, he likes nothing better than for his picture to be on the front page, he loves publicity, I don't. I managed to convince him that the convent didn't want the publicity and so of course for that remained anonymous, but this is going to get press anyway, the more the better and he wants a piece of it."

"The convent wouldn't have minded I'm sure, I know Sister Bridget wanted to thank him personally. You didn't want the publicity, but I don't understand what it's got to do with you?" Gordon looked at him, his eyes demanded answers, answers Daniel didn't want to give. He knew he'd find out eventually, but not now, he wanted to tell Meryl first.

"It's a long story, one I will tell you one day, just not now. Now when do you want the opening to be?"

* * *

That afternoon Paul, Julian Caldwell and Gordon met in the latters office, to discuss the helicopter ambulance, no sooner had they sat down a knock came at the door, Jill walked in instantly. 

"I'm sorry I didn't realise." Jill stammered, she'd wanted to talk to Gordon, she needed to talk to him, it would have to wait, she just wished it didn't have to.

"What is it Jill?" Gordon asked frowning slightly, she looked thrown, she was shaking slightly.

"I just wanted to talk to you, it's nothing important, it can wait." Jill then turned and left, closing the door behind her, leaving Gordon more than a little concerned.

"Did she seem ok to you?" Gordon looked at Mr Caldwell and Paul, they exchanged glances.

"She's your wife Gordon." Paul replied, feeling distinctly uncomfortable, it was a feeling he'd had almost constantly since he'd put the idea of the helicopter ambulance forward, it felt so wrong for him to be talking to doctors and administrators as equals, yet that's what they encouraged him to do.

"To business." Mr Caldwell suggested, Paul nodded vigourously his approval, Gordon gave the door a last longing glance before he nodded reluctantly, and they got down to business.

* * *

In the distance a siren wailed, it was almost at the royal when Gordon woke, he'd had an exhausting meeting with Mr Caldwell and Paul, it had lasted three hours. He'd then fallen asleep considering the figures and information they'd left. Gordon looked at his watch, five past five, he'd only been asleep ten minutes. Rubbing sleep from his eyes Gordon made his way down to casualty. 

"Anything I can do." Gordon yawned, Daniel shook his head.

"No thanks, I got it covered, besides you falling asleep in theatre might be counter productive. Go home and er." Daniel smiled winking. "Cut out those late nights huh."

"It's not like that." Gordon began trying to defend himself, "It's the kids, I don't know where they get the energy from, so excited because it was christmas."

"Yeah yeah, whatever, I believe you." Gordon gave up and went off to find Jill and the kids, so they could go home. Jill's appearence at his office that afternoon now completely forgotten.

* * *

The next day, Daniel walked into reception his arms full of boxes, Lizzy watched him as he past, he couldn't see over the stack. 

"Wait Dr Travis." Lizzy called, Daniel started to turn round, when Jill came out of the staff kitchen, his pile of boxes hit her outstretched arm spilling her tea everywhere.

"What do you think you're doing?" Jill yelled angrily, Daniel with difficulty put the boxes down when seeing the mess he'd made he cringed.

"Sorry Jill." he apoligised. "Look I'll get a towel or something. Lizzy could you make another cup of tea please."

"Don't bother." Jill glowered, before walking off in the direction of her office. Daniel looked at Lizzy.

"Phew, what's up with her?" Lizzy shrugged handing Daniel the towel, quickly he mopped up the spilt tea. Then giving Lizzy two of the boxes he made it to his office without incident.

The next to suffer Jill's bad temper that morning was Alun, like Daniel he hadn't done anything major, all he'd done was dropped a surgical tool, he had another one already sterile spare, but Jill gave him a verbal lashing. By lunchtime the hospital staff were gossiping about it. Gordon went to her office to talk to her, he'd remembered now that she'd tried to talk to him yesterday, she'd also tried to talk to him last night, but what with the kids he hadn't had a chance, she'd gone to bed early after being distant and snappy, something was wrong. He knocked on the door, turning the handle at the same time.

"Jill." he called, looking around her office, she wasn't there, frowning he closed the door, where could she be?

* * *

That lunchtime Daniel and Meryl went to the seafront, it was Daniel's last day working today, Mr Caldwell had been going to keep him on until the new year, so his last day working at The Royal would have been new years day, but the DHA had intervened saying that it wasn't neccessary. 

Daniel bought two sandwiches, handed one to Meryl, they walked along the seafront until they found an unoccupied bench. Neither of them started eating, they couldn't meet each others eyes either. Eventually Meryl decided that one of them had to say something, if Daniel wouldn't she would have to.

"I guess you're leaving now. You're finished here. Where are you moving on to next?" Meryl asked, Daniel looked at her laughed and shook his head.

"What ever gave you that idea?" Meryl frowned

"But you have to leave now, you don't have a job here anymore." she pointed out

"Meryl these last two weeks have been the best of my life. I will move heaven and earth to stay here with you." Meryl looked at Daniel, she couldn't believe what she was hearing. She'd been building herself up to this, trying to shut out the feelings of love she had for him and just think of it as a casual fling, the way she thought Daniel was treating it, did he feel the same way as she did.

"What are you saying?" Meryl asked, she needed clarification, Daniel took each of her hands in his own and looked deep into her eyes.

"I guess what I'm saying is, I've fallen in love with you. I tried not to, to treat it casually, but something like this doesn't come along very often. I believe we have something special." Meryl nodded, blinking tears away, not tears of sadness, tears of happiness, he loved her. They both leant in at the same moment and soon they were kissing passionately much to the amusement or disapproval of the other people on the seafront.

* * *

A little later Gordon picked up his patient notes for that afternoons surgery from Lizzy, there were only three but he'd drawn the short straw of seeing them. He was just about to head to his office when Jill walked past and out of the reception door. Gordon thrust his patient notes back at Lizzy and went after her. 

"Jill, Jill wait up." he called. Jill stopped by her car, her head bowed. "Jill you haven't been yourself for a couple of days, what's the matter." Gordon asked her, wishing she'd turn to face him, he moved to stand in front of her and gentley with his hand moved her head up, he could instantly see she'd been crying. "Oh Jill what's the matter. I'm your husband, talk to me."

"I tried, but you wouldn't listen." Jill replied, Gordon closed his briefly, she was right but he hadn't meant to not listen, he'd been to busy playing with the kids.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, come here." Gordon wrapped his arms round her, cursing his stupidity, it was obviously important he just hadn't realised that. "What's wrong?" Gordon asked again, Jill looked at him, tears running down her cheeks.

"I'm pregnant Gordon." Gordon smiled and frowned at the same time, looking completely at sea.

"But that's great news . . ."

"Is it." Jill cut him off

"Sure it's fantastic, why don't you think so?" Jill shook her head, Gordon wracked his brains for a reason, a place to start, Jill was always so practical. "Look if it's about the money, we can afford four kids easy, and more, I want you to . ."

"It's not about the money." Jill shouted, "You don't know anything." she pushed Gordon away from her crying, before getting in her car and driving off.

"Jill come back here." Gordon yelled angrily, before turning around and kicking the wheel of his car, which only made him madder because it hurt his foot. He slid down and put his head in his hands, she was hurting and he couldn't help her, she wasn't letting him. What ever happened to those wedding vows they'd said not even three weeks ago?

* * *

That evening Meryl went over to Daniels again, this time she cooked because she'd found out that he could cook anything else apart from pasta, which was what they'd had last time. For most of the meal they'd eaten in silence, each staring at the other when they thought they weren't looking, catching each others eye sometimes and smiling. 

"Meryl, there's something I need to tell you." Daniel began, Meryl swallowed hard, that sounded serious. "You know my anonymous doner." Meryl nodded.

"Yeah, I am going to find out who that is you know."

"Well about that um, I'm going to save you the bother. He's funding the helicopter ambulance, all of it, so he won't be anonymous anymore. In fact he hates being anonymous, likes nother better than being on the front page. I had to pull a lot of strings so that he would stay anonymous, I wanted him too. I thought that would be the end of it and you know he'd never be mentioned again, but then I heard about the helicopter ambulance, it's a brilliant idea and it needed funding, one catch I'd have to come clean."

"I don't understand." Meryl frowned, "What are you saying?"

"The anonymous doner is none other than Richard Armstrong."

"I'm still not with you. What's this got to do with you? I know that he's not exactly the nicest man in the world but . ."

"Not the nicest." Daniel snorted, "I think that's the understatement of the century. He's a tycoon, all he cares about is money and good publicity. That's the only reason why he gives money away, it makes him look better and helps people forget the scandals and crimes he's committed and got away with." Daniel paused, he had to continue, he just didn't want to. "I've lied to you. My names not Daniel Travis, well it is now because i changed it, it was Daniel Armstrong, Richard Armstrongs my dad." Daniel looked at her, willing her to say something, anything, praying she didn't follow the celebrity news. Meryl after what seemed like an eternity looked up and met his eyes, he couldn't read her expression. Suddenly she reached forward and picked up her glass of wine, throwing the contents in his face.

"I don't believe you, so all the stuff you said about how you loved me, it's all lies!" Meryl shouted standing up, Daniel shook his head.

"No, I meant every word."

"Another lie, you're married." Meryl spat, reaching for her coat and bag.

"No, well yes but I'm in the process of suing for divorce. It's been over between me and Elaine for over a year now. Meryl, I know I should have told you." Daniel tried to explain, he wanted to explain, he needed to explain.

"I thought you were different." Meryl told him crying, she moved to leave.

"No Meryl wait." Daniel tried to stop her, she didn't understand. "Goodbye Daniel, I hope I never see you again." Meryl left, Daniel turned and looked at the romantic candlelight table for two, angrily he swept his arm across the table sending the whole lot crashing onto the floor.

* * *

Meanwhile at the Omerod house Jill still hadn't come home. Gordon was beyond worried, he was frantic. Katy and Tom were in bed, they hadn't noticed anything was wrong but Charlie had. 

"Gordon, what's the matter? Yesterday Jill was all distant, today you are. Is it something I can help with?" Charlie asked, Gordon turned round shaking his head.

"No, no it's nothing you can help with. You um go do whatever, but remember be in bed by ten, yeah." Gordon attempted a weak smile.

"Oh no, you're not getting rid of me that easy. When I needed you, you were there. Now you need help, I'm here. Now have you and Jill had a fight?" Gordon sighed, Charlie was just a child, but a child who had seen more and had to put up with more than most adults.

"I guess, it was weird. Like she said she's been not herself for a couple of days, I noticed it I just didn't do anything about it. She tried to talk to me and I wasn't there, today we talked a little. She told me she was pregnant, but she was all upset about it, I don't understand it. I tried to get her to tell me what was wrong but she just got in her car and drove off, I haven't seen her since, as you can see she's not here now." Charlie nodded, she didn't understand it either, but first things first.

"We have to find her. Once we've found her you can talk and sort everything out, you're good at that. Now is there any place she likes to go, you know to think or whatever?" Gordon thought hard, he couldn't think of anywhere.

"I don't know." he replied.

"Ok, well you were looking for me where did you try?"

"Near the school, near home, the area in between, the seafront, the church . ." Gordon looked at Charlie.

"The church." they said together.

A minute later they were outside the church, the one right next to their house. They were going to have got married here but then they'd moved it forward and the church hadn't had an opening. Gordon pushed open the creaky door, he didn't know why he was so certain she was here, Jill wasn't very religous, but then Charlie was a complete heaven and they'd tried here. Inside Jill stiffened when she heard the door open, Gordon stepped in Charlie behind him, he could see her at the front of the church, he nodded to Charlie and Charlie smiling encouragement left to go back indoors. If she hadn't been here, they would have called a sitter but as Gordon and Jill were only next door, Charlie could watch Katy and Tom, they were asleep anyway.

"Jill." Gordon called, "Jill, you have to tell me what's the matter, so I can help you." Gordon sat down next to her, hearing his words Jill knew he was right, it was just something she'd never told anybody before. Jill turned round and hugged Gordon, he held her close while she cried.

"Gordon, I'm so sorry." Jill sobbed.

"Don't be, you haven't done anything wrong. Just tell me what's the matter." Jill closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"I was a student at medical school when I fell in love or more accurately thought I was in love with a man in the final year. I fell pregnant, I didn't know what to do, I knew I couldn't get rid of it but how could I have it. My problem was solved for me, I miscarried, the father never found out. Gordon I'm just terrified it's going to happen again, I don't know if I can go through that again." Gordon swallowed hard, and held her tighter.

"It's ok, sometimes these things happen and people go on to have many children. There are many reasons for it happening, stress is one of them, you must have been under a lot of stress then. I promise you that no matter what I'm here for you, and whatever happens we'll get through it together." Jill looked at Gordon asking herself for the hundredth time what she'd done to deserve a man like him. "I love you Jill, just promise me one thing."

"Anything." Jill replied, smiling now and wiping the tears away.

"Promise me, you'll never keep something like this from me again."

"Promise."

* * *

A few days later it was new years eve, Ken had been plotting behind everybodys back and he'd organised a new years eve party with Alun's help and Mr Caldwell's approval of course, it was being held in the conference room. Before the party started Mr Caldwell and Matron had a few announcements they wanted to make. They went up where the DJ (Alun) was going to be, Mr Caldwell tapped the mike to get everybodys attention. 

"Good evening, before I let Alun start the music there's a few announcements I want to make. First of all Paul Wilde our new ambulance driver had an idea about a month ago for a helicopter ambulance, now when he first brought it to me I thought it was impossible, but I'm pleased to be able to tell you all, that in a couple of weeks it will be fully operational. This is mainly down to Paul's perseverence but also to Dr Travis's contacts, Dr Travis doesn't appear to be here tonight but if it wasn't for him this idea would have never got off the ground. Now this isn't just an idea, it's a tribute, a tribute to Samantha Beaumont, a popular and promising student nurse, who you all know passed away a couple of months ago, she inspired the idea and I know that she would be proud that we're the hospital that brought it to the nation."

"Amen." Dr Rose muttered in the corner, drinking from his hip flask.

"Now Matron has the other announcement. Matron." Mr Caldwell stepped away allowing her to come to the mike.

"Yes, it's another tribute really. I know that the childrens ward which is called Conway ward is never called that, it's called Cheriton ward. Now I know that we should have renamed it a year ago, but for one reason or another we didn't. So the unofficial tribute you gave Dr Cheriton, is going to be made official." Matron had to pause then because the applause was to loud, a silent tear ran down Meryl's cheek.

"Amen." she whispered to herself.

"Also Dr Cheriton was all for modernizing the hospital, he believed strongly in immeadiate care. Now the helicoptor ambulance brings immeadiate care to those on the moors or those who need to be transferred, because it has all the emergancy medical equipment already on it, plus a doctor that is assigned to it permenantly. But what of those which an ordinairy ambulance will take care of, the ambulance drivers don't have medical training so even if they did have all the emergancy equipment in the ambulance a doctor would still have to be found. This is where another idea comes in, Dr Travis thought of it, having what really amounts to male nurses driving the ambulances. He called them paramedics, apparently this is a plan that's already been put into action in London and a couple of other cities. It hasn't really caught on though, but we're going to be one of the first there. The Royal is making history." Mr Caldwell took the mike back.

"That's all we've got to say except for roll on the new year, it's going to be our year. Alun the music." Alun needed no second bidding and was up to the record player in no time putting on a record. Everybody started dancing, Jill and Gordon, Katy and Tom, Mr Caldwell and Matron, everybody had a partner except Meryl.

"Dance with me." a voice behind her asked, Meryl turned around, it was Daniel.

"I don't want to talk to you." Meryl told him, moving to leave but finding her way blocked by dancing couples.

"Fine, just dance with me." Daniel tried again, taking hold of her hands and pulling her further into the dance floor. Meryl gave in, it was just dancing. Daniel twirled her round the dance floor, he was a good dancer, a minute later they were at the exit. "Come with me." Daniel smiled, Meryl gave in, he took her to his office. "Look I've got something to show you, it came this morning." Daniel handed her an envelope, Meryl pulled the letter out and scanned the first few lines.

"Ok so you were getting divorced and now you are divorced." Daniel nodded. "That doesn't change the fact you lied."

"I know that, I should have told you the truth from the start. It's just I hadn't been Daniel Armstrong for so long. When I went to medical school my dad disowned me, he wanted me to take over the family business. When I graduated we talked some, he gave me the car, trying to win me over. I got a job at a hospital, he made a phone call and it fell through, same thing with every hospital or practice I tried, so I became I locum, he couldn't stop it then." Daniel paused, he probably wasn't explaining it very well.

"Go on." Meryl urged, everything he'd told her so far rang true, it was also easy to check.

"My dad had set up a trust fund which I got when I was twenty-one, I very decent amount of money. I met Elaine at a party, I was young, nieve and she was gorgeous. I never considered that she just wanted me for my money. Pretty much as soon as we were married she dropped me, spent half the trust fund. Now as that letter will tell you, she got the rest of it anyway, bled me dry, I'm broke." Daniel finished, he just had one more thing to say. "Look whatever I lied about to do with my past, I never lied about us. When I came here the last thing I was expecting was to fall in love, I love you and like I told you the other day, I'll move heaven and earth to stay with you, that is if you want me to stay?" Meryl looked at him, her mind was telling her that even if he wasn't lying now, he had and that she should just walk away. Her heart was telling her what it had been telling her what it had been from almost she'd first set eyes on him, she loved him for all his faults. Meryl offered her hand.

"Staff Nurse Meryl Taylor, pleased to meet you." Daniel laughed.

"Dr Daniel Travis, though the name I was born with was Armstrong, pleased to meet you too."

"It's good to be honest from the beginning isn't it." Meryl smiled.

"Absolutely, honesty is always the best policy." They both leant in at the same moment and starting kissing passionately. Still kissing Daniel took her hand and led her towards the door.

"Yours?" Meryl asked grinning mischeivously

"Actually I don't live there anymore." Daniel gestured towards the boxes. "Told you I was broke."

"So this is yours then." Meryl raised her eyebrows, reaching behind him and locking the door.

* * *

Back in the conference room it was nearly midnight, Jeff and Lucy were slow dancing together despite it being a fast song. Suddenly Ken went up to the platform where Alun was and stopped the record. 

"Everybody outside." he smiled, "I have a big surprise." Frowning everybody followed him, they went out to the front of the hospital by the tree.

"What's the surprise Ken?" Jeff asked.

"Ah wait and see, it's almost time." Ken walked along, he'd errected at some point that evening a barrier, he was making sure nobdy had crossed it. He reached the end and checked his watch. "Ten, nine." he started the count down, laughing everybody joined in.

"Eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one. Happy new year." everybody shouted, the clock struck midnight, just then from behind the tree something shot up into the sky exploding, lighting up the whole area, then another and another. Ken had got fireworks. With the beautiful scene of fireworks behind them, the Royal couples kissed. Jeff and Lucy, Jill and Gordon, inside Daniel and Meryl. This new year was going to be their year.

The End. In next weeks episode . . .

11/12 Take a chance on me

Elsinby is hit by a tidal wave!


	12. Take a Chance on Me

**A/N: **This is about a tidal wave. It was written some months before the sad events of boxing day 2004. I'm only uploading it because otherwise the story isn't complete. There is no disrespect intended. Please if it will upset you, don't read it. Thanks.

**Episode**  
11/12 Take a chance on me

**Review**  
A tidal wave hit's Elsinby!

**Cast list**  
Robert Daws, Amy Robbins, Paul Fox, Polly Maberly, Wendy Craig, Michael Starke, Andy Wear, Zoie Kennedy, Linda Armstrong, Michelle Hardwick, Dennis Lil, Daniel Feltham and Sophie Foster

* * *

"Shush." Daniel put a finger to his lips, it was six AM and he was trying to sneak out of the nurses home without getting caught. He'd had to move out of his apartment before the new year because he couldn't afford the rent, he'd been staying with Meryl ever since. "Do you want me to get caught?" Daniel whispered, Meryl shook her head and stopped laughing for a moment, if Matron found out her life wouldn't be worth living. Suddenly Daniel stiffened, he could hear someone coming, he quickly pulled the door closed until he heard the footsteps fade away. He'd been stuck like this for the last twenty minutes. "It's no good, it's shift change. I'll have to wait a few hours till it's quietened down. Lucky I don't have a job to go to huh?" 

"You'll find something soon." Meryl comforted, thinking exactly the opposite, the hospitals round here weren't like hospitals in cities, doctors didn't change jobs every couple of years, they stayed until they retired, sometimes they only worked at the one hospital, they stayed there for their entire careers, at the moment there were no jobs going and that was unlikely to change for a while. "I have to go, got to go and mind casualty." Daniel smiled.

"See you for lunch?" Meryl nodded and Daniel gave her a kiss goodbye.

A little later over at the Omerod house, the day was just beginning. The alarm clock in Charlie's bedroom went off first, it was a couple of minutes fast, Charlie slapped it hard, groaned and rolled over. A couple of minutes later the alarm clock in the master bedroom went off, Gordon turned it off and rubbing the sleep out of his eyes went to get Katy and Tom up. An hour and forty minutes later they were ready to leave, today Gordon was doing the school run. Jill got in her car, she'd meet Gordon at the hospital, even though Gordon had now got a car big enough for all of them, they had to have their own cars at work, in case of emergencies.

* * *

Halfway through morning surgery Daniel walked into reception, he was wearing civvies and Lizzy seeing him had to admit that he looked even more gorgeous in them than he did normally, a feat she hadn't thought was possible. 

"Morning Lizzy." Daniel smiled.

"Morning Dr Travis, something I can do for you?" Lizzy asked, she wasn't sure why Daniel was here, he hadn't worked here in over a month.

"No, I'm here for the opening ceremony this afternoon, you know for the helicopter ambulance. I don't have a job and nothing else to do so I thought I'd come here, how's the patient load?" Daniel explained, Lizzy looked sympathetic, she'd heard from Meryl that he'd been offered many locum placements, but he wanted to stay with her, how sweet.

"Not too bad. Not many operations either, Meryl's in casualty." Daniel laughed and bit his lip.

"Thanks Lizzy, but Matron would have my guts for garters if I went and bothered her. I'll just er go on a ward round." Daniel winked and left, Lizzy shrugged, she didn't know what he was actually going to do, never mind.

"Mrs Cage." Lizzy called, "The doctor will see you now."

Daniel as he had told Lizzy went to Milner Ward, he looked in the window, he then did the same at Fawcett Ward and Cheriton Ward before heading off to the last 'ward', only called as such because Matron included it in her ward round inspections. Meryl was tidying up in trauma room one, Daniel snuck up behind her and covered her eyes with his hands.

"Guess who?" he asked, Meryl turned round a big smile on her face.

"Daniel, what are you doing here?"

"Well there's the opening ceremony this afternoon for the helicopter ambulance, I didn't have anything else to do, so I thought I'd just do a ward round." Daniel winked, "You know keep you company, it's really quiet today." Meryl nodded

"I know, I don't remember it ever being this quiet."

"Perhaps it's a sign of things to come, you know the quiet before the storm." Daniel raised his eyebrows, Meryl playfully punched him, giving him an unimpressed glare.

"Don't do that, when people say things like that, it jinxes them, makes them happen."

"You don't really believe that do you?" Daniel smiled disbelievingly

"I believe in keeping an open mind. If you're here you might as well help, pass me those things over there." Daniel did a sloppy salute and did what he was told.

A couple of hours later it was lunchtime, as usual they went to the seafront and got a sandwich, this had become their place. They sat at their usual bench and ate in companionable silence. When they'd finished their lunch they walked along the seafront for a while, hand in hand. Sometimes looking out to sea but mostly at each other, they stopped when they reached a spot that was private, Daniel steered her towards the railings that formed a barrier between the seafront and the beach. He leant her against it and they started kissing passionately, after a minute Daniel could hear a roaring noise in his ears. He pulled away and opened his eyes, his jaw dropped and his eyes grew wide.

"What?" Meryl asked, looking at his shocked expression, she turned around and her eyes opened wide and she screamed. The scream woke Daniel from his shocked trance, grabbing her hand they started to run, they reached the first shop just as the wave hit.

* * *

Meanwhile back at The Royal, everything started shaking, causing patients and staff to grab the first stable thing they could. Windows broke and some things fell off shelves and smashed, a few people screamed, after a minute the tremors stopped. Gordon was the first outside, what he saw shocked him. It was a scene of utter devastation. 

The parking lot was a mass of what were probably parts of the cars that were no longer there, Gordon could see other parts spread out down the road, like in some sick trail of destruction. He looked in the other direction towards the seafront, the first three houses were completely destroyed and the next five were badly damaged, Gordon looked quickly at The Royal and breathed a sigh of relief, they were far enough down the road to have escaped the worst of it.

Gordon looked back at the road, it was covered in debris and then Gordon got a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. Not just debris, people, Gordon turned round, to see who else had followed him out here, at the moment it was just patients who had been waiting for afternoon surgery. Gordon could see that they were on the verge of panic and that was the last thing they needed right now, he thought about what his next move would be, with patients behind him and a panicked crowd in front of him, he needed help out here, luckily Mr Caldwell and Matron appeared.

"Good god." Mr Caldwell said the instant he saw the scene, Matron looked around taking everything in and immediately took stock of the situation.

"Mr Caldwell go inside and get Dr Goodwin and Dr Weatherall out here immediately and five nurses. Then get on the telephone, call . . ." Matron paused.

Gordon hearing Matron take charge turned back to the road, running to the first person he could see, he could now do his job and hopefully save some lives. Matron wasn't sure who to call, this was a crisis, a disaster. The army would no doubt be called in, the coastguard, the police, somebody needed to co-ordinate the activities, but there was no such system in place. Matron looked at the man in front of her, he looked in shock but he wasn't panicking, could he cope, she put that question out of her mind, he'd have to.

"Call the police, the coastguard, get on to the local army bases, the council, Ashfordly General and the other hospitals. Oh and get that brand new helicopter of ours up in the air, with rescue apparatus on board, no doubt some people have been washed out to sea. We need to co-ordinate activities, I'm sure the military will take over, but for the moment you're in charge. Find Ken and Alun, tell them to meet me in reception."

Mr Caldwell looked at her digesting what she'd said, he nodded to show that he'd understood and ran inside. Matron looked up the road, she could just see The Rose and Crown pub, it too looked virtually undamaged, picking the least panicked looking of the crowd in front of her she started giving him orders.

"You, take these people up to the pub there, they'll be safe and in shelter there. Tell the landlord to call . . ." Matron tried to think of someone who could take charge and organise things on the spot, someone who was good under pressure. "Tell him to call Oscar Blaketon at the Aidensfield Arms. He's to tell Oscar what's happened here and to get him over here right away. He's to look for housing for people who's homes have been destroyed, he can set up command there. We'll be sending people to him. Understand." the man nodded, he then started guiding his fellow would be patients through the debris.

Jill and Jeff then appeared, with the now familiar shocked expression taking in the scene around them, then going to help Gordon. Then the nurses arrived, Matron looked round, there wasn't anything she could do to help here, she needed to go and see Ken and Alun. They would need to find as many beds as they could, send all the patients already here that were well enough to leave to The Rose and Crown to register, then depending on whether their home was destroyed or not, they could go home. They needed as many beds as they could get, for all the patients that were coming in. Mr Harper met Matron at the entrance to reception, close to complete and utter panic.

"Did you see, did you see it?" he asked, his eyes wide open. "I . . I." Matron gently put her arm round Mr Harper and guided him into his office, she then collared a nurse.

"Nurse Bartlet, go and get a sedative please." the nurse nodded and ran off, a minute later she returned. "Thank you." Nurse Bartlet then continued outside, to help with the casualties out there. "Here you go Mr Harper, this will help." Matron expertly injected the sedative, a minute later Mr Harper was sleeping peacefully, he wouldn't wake up until tomorrow morning. Some people just couldn't handle a crisis and if that person happened to be in what they thought was an authoritive position, it could make the crisis much worse. So much the better the better if he slept through it.

* * *

Back by the seafront Daniel groaned, he opened his eyes, he couldn't see anything, he started to panic before he recalled what had happened. He had to stay calm for everybody and he had to find Meryl. Daniel moved position and yelled out in pain, maybe moving wasn't such a good idea, mentally Daniel ran a check self-diagnosing himself. 

He had a splitting headache but that was to be expected, he could feel blood trickling down his face, his left arm felt ok though he could barely move it, there wasn't enough room. Daniel gingerly tried to move his right arm and screamed out in pain again, that was definitely broken, probably more than once. Daniel then tried to move his legs and almost started panicking again when he couldn't move them, the he realised that he couldn't feel anything and did start panicking. He took a couple of deep breaths and regained control of himself, crush injuries and possible paralysis, he then continued his self-examination.

His breathing was laboured, that could be because he'd been hyperventilating and there wasn't much air in here, or it could be because he had a punctured lung, he definitely had several broken ribs. Well at least he didn't have to worry about not having a job now, he'd be in no condition to work for some time.

His self-diagnosis done Daniel tried with his left arm to move something, but it was no good, he was imprisoned. He concentrated on breathing shallowly because he wouldn't use as much oxygen up that way, also every time he breathed he was filling his chest cavity with air, if he wasn't rescued soon and the trapped air released, his other lung would collapse, he'd die in seconds. With nothing else to think about Daniel thought about what the situation would be like outside, Meryl and the rest of the staff at the hospital, mostly about Meryl.

* * *

Meryl wasn't far from where Daniel was although she didn't know that, when the wave had hit it had caused the shop to collapse, they'd been separated, she'd been thrown clear. Meryl did a quick self-accessment, nothing but cuts and bruises, she stood up and scanned the area for Daniel, she couldn't see him. Her eyes fell on the enormous pile of debris beside her, what had a minute ago been a shop, her heart sank, if he was in there. 

Meryl turned to the hospital, she could see Jeff and Gordon attending to patients on the street, with them were some volunteers, they were lifting people onto stretchers. Suddenly she got a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach, they weren't taking those people to casualty, but to the morgue. Meryl started running in the direction of the hospital, she was a nurse, she'd be needed in casualty. Gordon looked up when he heard her approaching, he took in her appearance silently, he knew where she'd been when the wave hit, she was lucky to be alive.

"Go and change into some dry clothes and clean up those cuts." Gordon ordered, "Then report to casualty, Matron's there, I expect she'll tell you to scrub Dr Rose is on his way, you'll be needed in surgery." Meryl nodded and turned to go to the nurses home, Gordon stopped her. "Was Daniel with you?" Meryl didn't answer, she didn't have to, the tears that came to her eyes gave Gordon his answer. "Then go to reception first, Lizzy's making a list of missing people." Without another word Meryl hurried off in the direction of reception, Gordon sighed and turned to look down the road hoping to see Daniel running towards them, he was a good doctor and a good surgeon, they needed him.

* * *

An hour later things were Matron thought, as under control as they would ever be. The army had showed up in record time, they had three helicopters in the air, joining the coastguard's and their helicopter, in the rescue attempt. They were also coordinating with the police and the fire brigade to make safe the damaged buildings and to search the debris for survivors. Colonel Bridges was in charge of this crisis, he was with Mr Caldwell in the latter's office, where she had just been. He wanted to look at the lists Lizzy was making, so he could start working up preliminary casualty estimates, one thing was certain, they were going to be high. 

So she went to reception to collect the lists Lizzy had been making, the list of the living, the list of the injured, the list of the missing and the list of the dead. It was bedlam in reception, two volunteers were there trying to calm the frightened crowd. These were the other victims of this disaster, the unhurt one's who's homes had been destroyed. Oscar Blaketon had set up a crisis centre in The Rose and Crown pub down the road, he'd phoned all the B&B's in the area, arranging rooms for the homeless, but a lot of B&B's were on the seafront and had also been destroyed, so when unhurt people appeared they sent them to Oscar, when hurt people appeared they took them to casualty or one of the doctor's offices which were now being manned by nurses as all the doctors except Lucy were in theatre. Dead people were taken straight to the morgue.

"Lizzy, can I see those lists you've been making?" Matron asked, Lizzy looked stressed and upset, her makeup was smeared where she had been crying. "Why don't you go and get a cup of tea." Matron told her kindly, "I'll stay here until you get back."

"I'm fine Matron, here are the lists." Lizzy sniffed, just the the telephone rang. "The Royal," Lizzy answered, "Yes, I'll tell him, goodbye."

"A messages for Colonel Bridges, I'll take it." Matron told her, for the first time glancing at the lists. The longest list was injured, coming not far behind tying for second place was missing and dead. Matron glanced down the missing list, her heart missed a beat when she read the name Dr Daniel Travis.

"Ok, that was helicopter one, they just pulled two women out of the water, they say they're teachers from Elsinby Primary, the whole school was on a field trip. Helping them was apparently was fourth and fifth year from Ashfordly High." Matron closed her eyes, could today get any worse, half those kids wouldn't be able to swim. Then another realisation hit her, Tom and Katy were at Elsinby Primary, Charlie was in the fifth year at Ashfordly High. Luckily it looked like Lizzy hadn't remembered that fact, she hoped it stayed that way, as much as she knew that Gordon and Jill should know, she knew that it would affect their work and they needed all the doctors they could get, she'd tell them only if she absolutely had to.

"Right I'll tell him, you keep making those lists, I'll bring these back soon so you can update them, you're doing a great job."

* * *

Meanwhile Daniel was starting to panic again, he couldn't see anything and he couldn't hear anything, there was no sounds of a rescue, the air was getting thicker which meant the oxygen was running out, his breathing was getting increasing laboured, if he wasn't found soon he'd die here like this, in agony, alone. He could feel that he was about to cry, he couldn't cry, it would make everything much worse. 

Getting control of himself this time was hard, but once he had his breathing under control again he started to remember an article in a medical journal he'd recently. Someone with his injuries, had survived almost twenty-four hours before they were found. That brought a shred of comfort until he remembered that they hadn't been buried alive, they'd been in a car crash, out in the open air. _I'm going to die, I'm going to die_.

In desperation he started bashing against his prison with his left arm, the only thing of him that was broken, nothing gave, no burst of sunlight, no breeze of fresh air. He was entombed, he was buried alive and soon he'd be just another corpse they'd drag out of the debris in a few days time. He had to stop thinking like that, where there's life there's hope. Meryl will have reported me missing, told them my approximate location. They'll rescue me, I'll be alright. Even as his mind formed the words, he was calling himself a liar.

The only thought that kept him sane at that moment was that Meryl had already been through the pain of losing someone she loved, he couldn't do it to her again. With renewed desperation Daniel resumed bashing against his prison, perhaps someone would hear him, he couldn't just do nothing.

Over in theatre Meryl was struggling to concentrate, she'd reported Daniel missing and given his last known position to Lizzy, why hadn't they found him yet. Or had they, had they found him a broken and shattered corpse and decided not to tell her, thinking it was best in the current situation, she would if she was them.

"Scalpel." Dr Rose held out his hand, trying to push all thoughts of the outside world to the back of her mind, Meryl handed it to him. Gordon could see her pain, it was the not knowing that was the worst. He had never been religious, but at that moment he prayed. He prayed for Daniel's safety and for the safety of everyone else, he prayed that he wouldn't have to declare anybody else DOA, he prayed that never again, should anything so terrible happen again.

* * *

Four hours after the wave hit Dr Rose peeled off his gloves for what he thought was the last time today, everybody in the town was now on one list or another and the list of the missing were slowly getting added to the dead. His services were no longer needed as a surgeon, instead he was going to help in casualty, tending to minor injuries, like a GP. Gordon and Jill joined him, Gordon gave Jill a quick visual examination. He hadn't seen her since just after the wave hit, she looked exhausted and stressed, that wouldn't be good for the baby, but what could he do, patients were still pouring in, they needed every doctor they could get. 

Jeff headed to reception where Lucy already was, they were checking the lists that Lizzy had made and filling in essential forms, though most of Mr Harpers paperwork had got out the window, Jeff suddenly wondered where Mr Harper was, he would have expected him to be rushing around panicking, so much the better that he wasn't, though he hoped he wasn't hurt. Jeff spied Lucy across reception, she was with an elderly lady, he'd done a lot of thinking in theatre, there was something he had to do.

Jeff took a deep breath, he hadn't wanted it to be like this, he'd had a whole romantic evening planned, but life wasn't like that and right here right now was better than not at all, besides he couldn't wait any longer.

"Dr Klein." he called across a packed reception area, Lucy heard him and looked up from the form she was filling out for an elderly lady. A minute later she arrived at Jeff's side.

"Jeff, what is it, we're kind of in the middle of a disaster here?" Lucy asked him, running her fingers distractedly through her hair.

"Come with me." Jeff took her hand and led her through the crowd down the corridor to his office, which mercifully was empty, the nurse who had manned it had run out of patients and had gone to help in casualty. "Lucy, I realised something tonight, I realised that I'd never really told you how I feel about you, and that if something like today happened again and one of us was right there, that you wouldn't know how much I love you. Marry me?" Lucy opened her mouth in shock, now was not the time for this, however.

"I know, it scared me to. I don't know what I'd do without you Jeff. I'd love to marry you." For the first time since the wave hit Jeff smiled, he leant forward and they shared a brief kiss.

"I left the ring at home, I'd intended on asking you tonight, but I don't know when we're going to get out of here. We should get back." Lucy nodded and holding hands they made their way back to reception.

* * *

Five hours after the wave hit Meryl was starting to panic slightly, there was still no sign of Daniel. She went to reception, Lizzy was there, she was on the phone and crying silently. 

"Yes, I'll let him know." Lizzy told the person at the other end, hanging up. She then started sobbing, putting her own worries and fears aside, Meryl hugged her.

"What's the matter Lizzy?" Meryl asked when the sobs stopped.

"That was the coastguard, they found out the reason for the tidal wave." Lizzy paused, having trouble forming the words.

"And . ." Meryl prompted her.

"It was an explosion on a north sea oil rig. Massive explosion, blew the whole rig out of the water." Lizzy started crying again. "It was Dave's rig." she sobbed. Meryl closed her eyes, an explosion that caused a tidal wave like they'd had wouldn't leave any survivors.

"Do you want me to go and tell Colonel Bridges?" Lizzy shook her head, now she'd said it once, she could say it again.

"No, I'll do it, can you stay here." Meryl nodded.

"Sure." Lizzy weakly smiled her thanks and left. Meryl picked up the lists, checking the missing first, there were eleven names, Daniel's was one of them. Meryl scanned the rest of the list, her heart skipped a beat when she read the three names that had been scribbled on at the bottom. _Tom, Katy and Charlie Omerod_, Gordon and Jill didn't know, perhaps it was better that way, they'd be spared the anguish of not knowing that she was going through. Meryl sighed, so many lives, so many families torn apart by today's tragedy. Would Elsinby ever be able to recover?

* * *

Six hours after the wave hit everything had pretty much stopped. No more patients were coming in, only bodies. Colonel Bridges came into casualty accompanied by an unsmiling sergeant. 

"Staff Nurse Taylor." Colonel Bridges called, Meryl froze and turned to face him.

"Yes."

"You reported Dr Travis missing I understand." Meryl nodded, he's going to me isn't he, that they've found him and he's dead. "I also understand that your a good friend of his." Meryl nodded again. "Right, he's still on the missing list but we suspect he's buried deep under a pile of rubble, the chances of him still being alive, are a million to one. I understand he's not from round here, do you know if he has any next of kin, we need to notify them?" Meryl breathed deeply, if the chances were a million to one, there was still a chance, she couldn't admit to herself that he was dead. Suddenly a soldier appeared, Colonel Bridges moved a short distance away, the soldier whispered something in his ear, there was what looked like a mini argument to Meryl before Colonel Bridges came back over.

"Our rescue teams have reported hearing banging from inside that pile of rubble I was telling you about, now there's no guarantee it's him, but someone's alive under there."

* * *

Meanwhile Daniel was about to give up, he'd been banging for hours, his energy was almost spent, it was now with just sheer dogged determination that he kept going. Suddenly his arm stopped, he couldn't make it keep going, will power wasn't enough. Unable to stop it anymore he broke down and sobbed, he was in unimaginable pain, weak from the hours of endurance, he couldn't stand it any longer. The air was all but spent, it was getting harder and harder to breathe, the pressure in his chest was telling him that his chest cavity was almost completely full up with air, that his other lung would soon collapse. He couldn't fight it any longer, he was going to die, he closed his eyes and stopped fighting, falling into an oblivion that was a little like death. 

Five minutes later, the pieces of rubble covering Daniel were removed, the fireman looked at him, he looked dead, his face was white, the blood and other dirt covering it emphasizing the fact. He leant in to check for a pulse, convinced it was a lost cause. There was a pulse, it was very faint and almost painfully slow but it was there.

"He's alive, get a doctor." the fireman yelled, one of his team ran off towards The Royal, while the rest redoubled their efforts to completely uncover him. A minute later Gordon and Meryl appeared. The fireman moved aside to let them through.

"Oh my god." Gordon swore upon seeing him, he looked like death itself, he knelt down beside him checking his pulse to make sure the fireman hadn't made a mistake. Meryl just looked at him in shock, she'd imagined him as a shattered corpse, but he looked even worse than what she'd imagined, he couldn't still be alive. Just then Daniel rejoined the world, he could hear noise all around him, they were coming to rescue him, he opened his eyes, gasping in pain as the bright sunlight hurt his eyes after so long in the dark. Blinking hard he could see Gordon leaning over him.

"Gordon." Daniel wheezed, Gordon jumped when he heard it and looked down at Daniel;s face in shock, he hadn't been sure he was still alive, but conscious. Daniel feeling the pressure in his chest almost reaching peak level knew there wasn't time for Gordon to examine him. "Lung punctured . . . need to insert . . chest tube." Daniel gasped, Gordon nodded and turned to Meryl, she handed them to him. Gordon inserted the tube, Daniel who had thought the pain couldn't get any worse had been wrong, he'd almost bitten through his lip by the time the procedure was finished. But instantly the pressure in his chest lifted, it became much easier to breathe. "Crush injuries . . . you need to start . . an IV line of normal saline with . . . with 50 mEq/L of sodium bicarbonate . . . infused at a rate of l.5 liters per hour. . . Several broken ribs . . . and possible . . . possible paralysis. . . . Right arm's broke . . . more than once . . . a compound fracture . . . for sure. . . and bad . . . head injury . . . concussion possible . . . fracture of the . . . skull." Daniel finished, Gordon smiled despite himself. Daniel had self-diagnosised himself brilliantly, not leaving anything out, hardly needed him at all.

"Alright, let's get the back board in. Be very careful." Gordon ordered the waiting firemen. With great care, they got Daniel on a stretcher and rushed him back to The Royal, where Dr Rose and Jeff were scrubbing ready to go, Daniel needed emergency surgery.

* * *

When they got there Gordon and Meryl tried to follow Daniel into the OR, they wanted to get scrubbed, so that in some way they could help, Colonel Bridges stopped them. 

"I don't think that's a good idea do you?" he asked them, he guided them to Mr Caldwell's office where Jill was waiting, the unsmiling sergeant had asked her to come here, she didn't know why.

"Gordon?" she asked, when she saw him, without answering her, he moved over and hugged her, thanking every god he knew that she wasn't hurt, that she wasn't the on lying on that operating table. Meryl sat in the corner, numbness and shock enveloping her, Matron sensing this went and comforted her, remembering when she'd had to do that before and hoping against hope that she wouldn't again. Colonel Bridges sat down in Mr Caldwell's chair, Gordon and Jill sat down in the chairs opposite, uncertain as to why they were here. Colonel Bridges didn't know where to begin.

"Dr Omerod, Dr Weatherall, I don't want recriminations, I made the decision not to tell you, I believe it was the right decision under the circumstances."

"Wait a minute, what are you saying?" Gordon interrupted, paling slightly.

"There was a school trip today . ."

"Oh god no." Gordon closed his eyes and put his arm round Jill.

"The whole of Elsinby Primary were on the beach, as was the fourth and fifth year of Ashfordly High, to help out. All the children except three have now been recovered." Colonel Bridges paused, not adding that some of them hadn't made it. "Those three are the only names still on the missing list. Thomas, Katherine and Charlotte Omerod. Now as they're all missing together, I'm hopeful we'll find them."

"Tom can't swim." Gordon whispered, his voice cracking.

"Yes well I'm hopeful, all five choppers are still up and are canvassing the area, as are search teams along the beach, we'll find them." Gordon held Jill close, and they sat there, not moving, not knowing what to do. Colonel Bridges for his part had never felt so bad, today was the worst day of his life so far, he'd had to countless people that their loved ones were dead, he'd have to tell many more before it was over. It was all such a tragic accident, an accident that had claimed approximately five hundred lives so far and would probably claim more.

Colonel Bridges left Mr Caldwell's office, he'd asked his sergeant to gather the rest of the staff together in casualty, he had to give them some words of comfort, there wouldn't be a person there that didn't know someone that had died or was gravely injured. Walking in he looked at them all, they looked tired, not just in body but in spirit, he could see some of them had been crying.

"I don't know if all of you know who I am. I'm Colonel Bridges, commander of the local army base. I've been in command of this crisis. First of all I want to congratulate you all on a job well done, you did your jobs under the most difficult of circumstances and saved many lives. The three lists are pretty complete, the list of the living, the list of the injured and the list of the dead. We have just three missing people left now, we're hopeful that they will soon be recovered alive. What happened today . . ."

* * *

Seven hours after the wave hit Charlie was starting to panic, she'd been walking with Tom and Katy when it had hit. She'd managed to keep hold of them when they'd been washed out to sea, when they'd finally surfaced she couldn't see land or any other people. She'd got Katy to tread water and had taught Tom how, all the while listening for the sound of a helicopter. Darkness had started to set in four hours ago, which she knew would impede the search for them. 

Tom had collapsed with exhaustion three hours ago, Katy an hour ago, she didn't how long she could keep treading water for, particularly now she was supporting both Katy and Tom. She knew they couldn't survive out here much longer, the north sea in the summer was cold enough, but in February spending longer than an hour in the water meant a risk of hypothermia. Charlie couldn't feel how cold she was because what it did was lower your internal body temperature, it was deceptive, you'd think you were warm but you weren't. They couldn't survive the night that was for sure. Charlie thought of Jill and Gordon and hoped they were ok, that The Royal was alright.

"Come on you two, let's er, let's talk." Charlie said, she could see that Tom was close to losing consciousness, if he did was like a death sentence.

"What about Charlie?" Katy asked faintly.

"I don't know um, we need to keep our spirits up. We could sing, it would be out of tune but who cares, there's nobody around to hear us." Charlie wracked her brain for a song they'd know, only probably it was slow and sluggish, it didn't want to work. "Who can take a sunrise, sprinkle it with dew. . ." Charlie started off, they loved the candyman film, Tom smiled weakly.

"cover it with chocolate and a miracle or two." he added

"All together now." Charlie smiled encouragingly.

"the Candyman can 'cause he mixes it with love and makes the world taste good..." _Help better get here soon_, Charlie thought darkly.

* * *

Ten hours after the wave hit, Daniel was wheeled out of surgery towards a side ward. Meryl had been sitting outside the operating room for the last two hours with Matron. Gordon and Jill were in Gordon's office, waiting for news. The helicopters were still up, still searching, stopping only to land refuel and change crews, everything humanly possible was being done to find them, but Gordon couldn't kid himself. They would have been in the water coming up on ten hours now, survival rates for that, weren't great. 

"Dr Rose?" Meryl stood up, Dr Rose came over lighting his pipe up.

"I'm not going to lie to you Staff, he's in pretty bad shape. He made it through surgery but beyond that I can't say, his injuries were extensive. The next twenty-four hours will tell." Dr Rose clapped a hand on her shoulder, wishing he could give her better news, she'd already been through this once, twice wasn't fair, it just wasn't cricket.

"Can I sit with him?" Meryl asked.

"Of course." Dr Rose replied, he then left, he'd had a very long and exhausting day, tomorrow would be better. Matron followed Meryl to the side ward, she was going to sit with her, she couldn't let her sit alone.

Meanwhile in the north sea Charlie was close to giving up, she'd managed to keep Katy and Tom awake for as long as she could, they'd both lost consciousness about ten minutes ago. She could feel her own eyelids threaten to close, she started going under, then in the distance she could hear the sound of a helicopter, it was coming this way, it had a searchlight.

"Over here." Charlie shouted, "Over here." it was useless, they couldn't hear her, they were turning away and leaving. "Hey over here." Charlie yelled, then the searchlight turned and suddenly it was on them.

"This is the coastguard. Don't worry, we're going to winch you up." a voice said over the loudspeaker, Charlie could have wept with relief.

* * *

_'Ring ring. Ring, ring.'_ the phone at The Royal rang. Jill and Gordon could hear it, it's noise reverberating around the corridors, they stiffened and sat their waiting as they had for the last four hours. Then they heard a knock at the door, Colonel Bridges entered, he was smiling. 

"All three of them have just been picked up. They're suffering from hypothermia, dehydration and exposure, but Dr Alway tells me he think's they'll be fine, they're on their way back now. There's someone who want's to talk to you on line one." Hearing this good news Jill broke down and sobbed with relief, Gordon held her close and picked up the phone.

"Gordon Omerod" he answered, tension in his voice.

"Dad, it's great to your voice." Charlie told him, Gordon smiled, she'd never called him dad before.

"And yours." he replied, his voice husky, he knew he was on the verge of crying.

"We're twenty minutes out so break out the hot chocolate huh."

"Will do." Gordon promised.

"Thanks dad."

The End. In next weeks episode . . .

12/12 Someday

A tragedy occurs and Daniel and Meryl's future is undecided. The last in the series of the rural medical drama.


	13. Someday

**Episode**  
12/12 Someday

**Review**  
A tragedy occurs and Daniel and Meryl's future is undecided. The last in the series of the rural medical drama.

**Cast list**  
Robert Daws, Amy Robbins, Paul Fox, Polly Maberly, Wendy Craig, Michael Starke, Andy Wear, Zoie Kennedy, Linda Armstrong, Michelle Hardwick, Dennis Lil, Daniel Feltham and Sophie Foster

* * *

It was the day after the wave had hit, life was slowly getting back to normal. Lizzy had been given compassionate leave because of Dave, likewise Meryl had been given time off because of Daniel. Gordon and Jill had taken a few days off, it had been Gordon's idea, he had cited Tom, Katy and Charlie as the reason, but really he wanted Jill to rest, to make sure the baby was ok. As it was only for a few days Lucy was taking over Jill's patients, likewise as it was only for a few days Dr Alway was taking over Gordon's patients. 

Meryl told Daniel all this, he was unconcious but she kept talking to him despite the fact he probably couldn't hear her, if she stopped talking then the room was silent, the only noises were the hissing the machines that were keeping him alive made.

"Daniel please wake up, you were concious before surgery, concious enough to tell Gordon what to do, why won't you wake up now?" Meryl asked him, she didn't expect a reply so when someone behind her spoke she jumped violently.

"I don't think anyone knows the answer to that. except the lord himself." Sister Bridget replied, coming in and taking vital signs, writing them on Daniel's chart. "Although when Dr Travis does wake up I'm sure he'll have some explanation."

"If he wakes up." Meryl added, Sister Bridget bit her lip, she knew Meryl was right, it was a miracle that Dr Travis was still alive.

"Don't think like that, have hope, he's survived against all the odds so far. I'll pray that he continues to beat them." Meryl weakly smiled her thanks as Sister Bridget left, she looked at Daniel, he'd been cleaned up but he still looked like death itself, only the very slight rise and fall of his chest gave lie to that appearence, all the prayers in the world might not save him.

* * *

Meanwhile Gordon and Jill were in Cheriton Ward, sitting with Katy and Tom. Although it was fairly certain that they were going to be alright, they were still very ill and needed to be kept a close eye on. Charlie was in slightly better shape than they were, but that was owing to the fact that she was older, she was in Fawcett Ward. Gordon put a well practised hand on Tom's forehead, measuring his temperature, he shook his head. 

"It's not coming down." Gordon commented, he then leant over to Katy and checked her temperature. "That's coming down alright though." Jill didn't know what to say, they had been in the water a long time, complications were inevitable.

"He'll be ok." a voice behind them said, Gordon and Jill turned round.

"Charlie what are you doing out of bed?" Gordon asked crossly, he wasn't really that angry, it was worry.

"I wanted to see how they were, besides I'm fine." Charlie told them, sitting down on the edge of Katy's bed because there wasn't another chair.

"You are right now, but you're jepordising your recovery." Gordon started, "I'm taking you back right now."

"Dad I'm fine ok, Sister Bridget said I didn't have a temperature anymore and that I could go home either today or tomorrow." Gordon checked, she wasn't lying, she didn't have a temperature. "I don't get sick easily and if I do I get well really quickly. Good genes or DNA or whatever. So can I please stay, it's boring in that ward on my own." Jill smiled, you couldn't argue with Charlie, she always won.

"I'll get you a chair." Jill offered standing up, Charlie jumped up.

"No it's ok I'll get it myself." Jill frowned, she turned to Gordon who suddenly looked very guilty.

"She knows doesn't she?" Jill asked sitting back down, Gordon pulled a face and nodded. "Does anyone else know?" Gordon shook his head. "Good, we'll tell them when we have to."

"Yeah, soon though, they are professionals, we don't want them noticing."

* * *

"Mr Caldwell, Mr Caldwell." Mr Harper called running along the corridor to catch up with him, reluctantly Mr Caldwell stopped, what did Mr Harper want this time? 

"What is it Mr Harper I'm very busy?" Mr Caldwell asked, he knew exactly what it was going to be about.

"It's about yesterday." Mr Caldwell rolled his eyes.

"Why don't you come along to my office," Mr Caldwell checked his watch, "This afternoon we can discuss it more then. I'm sorry, I really am very busy." With that Mr Caldwell walked briskly off leaving a very annoyed Mr Harper.

Meanwhile Lucy and Jeff were in Jeff's office, morning surgery was over, there hadn't been very many patients, everybody was to busy to come in.

"So when shall we tell people?" Lucy asked, her eyes alive with excitement, Jeff smiled, he was happy because Lucy was happy.

"I don't know. I want to shout it from the rooftops, 'I'm getting married to the love of my life'." Jeff mock shouted, "Back to reality, what with everything that's going on at the moment, perhaps we should wait." Lucy nodded, she thought that too but it didn't stop her being disappointed. Jeff reading her expression understood.

"That doesn't mean we can't plan it, set a date, make all the decisions." Lucy beamed.

* * *

A little later Ken and Alun drew up in front of Lizzy's apartment building, as soon as Ken walked in the door and saw his wife trying to comfort their daughter, the enormity of what happened hit him. He'd only seen Lizzy once since the wave hit yesterday, that was only for a couple of minutes, he'd been needed to help, now he was needed to rebuild, so he could only pop in during his lunch break. He felt so inadaqute, for the first time in his life he didn't know what to say, he just sat down next to her and held her hand, trying to communicate to her how sorry he was and how he wished he could take all the pain away. 

Alun meanwhile stood there feeling increasingly uncomfortable, he'd wanted to come, he wanted to comfort Lizzy, but he like Ken didn't know what to say. He sat down in the chair opposite Lizzy, wishing he could help and knowing he was doing nothing and feeling useless, little did he know that just by being there he was helping, it told Lizzy how much he cared for her and that was worth more than all the words in the world.

* * *

That afternoon as promised Mr Caldwell was in his office, as expected Mr Harper turned up. 

"Mr Caldwell I want to lodge a complaint." Mr Harper started, Mr Caldwell nodded, cursing the silly little man in front of him and hoping his strategy would work.

"Ok, write it down on a complaints form." Mr Caldwell then looked back down at the paperwork on his desk, he picked up a pen then looked back up. "Something else?"

"I'm making a complaint. It's about Matron giving me a . . ." Mr Harper continued getting annoyed.

"I know what your compliants about Mr Harper, but you have to follow proceadure. There are forms that need to be filled out. You need to fill out a complaints form, in triplicate, submit one copy to me, one copy to the DHA and one copy to your boss. You know how that system works, you're the one who brought it to The Royal." Mr Cladwell smiled genailly. "Now if you will excuse me, I have lot's of paperowrk to do."

"I don't have time for all that." Mr Harper spat, "Surely you can . . ."

"Now now Mr Harper, I can't go outside rules and regulations. If you have a complaint you follow proceadure, you're the one who taught me that. Now if you will please excuse me, I have a lot of work to do." Mr Harper opened and closed his mouth a couple of times like a goldfish, before he accepted that he'd lost and left.

* * *

A few days later early in the morning, shift change at The Royal. Meryl had finally fallen into an uneasy sleep, sitting in the armchair in Daniel's room. She was woken by a racking cough, Daniel's eyes were wide open, he was clutching his throat, clearly unable to breathe. Meryl pushed his hands out of the way and quickly made a diagnosis, Daniel had been intubated to help him breathe during surgery, now it looked as if the tube was blocked stopping him from breathing at all, his lips were going blue, testament to the lack of oxygen. Skillfully Meryl removed the tube, Daniel gasped for air and sank back down in the bed, breathing deeply. Meryl didn't move, she watched his every move, terrified that at any moment he might suddenly slip away. 

"I . . I." Daniel tried to speak, but his throat was so dry he couldn't form the words, Meryl handed him a glass of water, which he took gratefully, sipping at it, resisting the temptation to glug it down. "Who put that tube in? Could have killed me, that could." Daniel smiled, Meryl smiled back and began to cry, she couldn't help it, she was so relieved.

A few minutes later Jeff and Sister Bridget joined them, Gordon was Daniel's doctor but he was in surgery with Dr Rose who would also need to see Daniel.

"So how are you feeling?" Jeff asked, he'd checked Daniel's vital signs, he couldn't believe them, for a guy who by rights should be dead, he was looking unbelievably well.

"Glad to be alive." Daniel replied, Jeff nodded, given the events of tuesday, with the tidal wave, everybody shared that feeling, they were all glad to be alive.

"How's the pain?" Daniel gave Jeff a look.

"About what you'd expect, it's worse if I'm move so I'm not going to do a lot of that." Jeff smiled, he then turned to Meryl.

"Could you wait outside for a minute?" the smile that had been residing on Meryl's face since Daniel had regained conciousness immeadiately disappered.

"Why?" Meryl asked warily, Jeff gave her a look that said 'You know why' he then smiled reassuringly until Meryl left.

"Can you move your legs?" Jeff cut straight to the chase which Daniel appreciated, beating around the bush just lengthened an already unpleasant process.

"No, I thought at first it could just be the crush injuries, but I can't feel anything." Jeff nodded, and did some standard tests, Daniel failed them all.

"I'm sorry." Jeff didn't know what else to say, Daniel was paraylsed, his career was over, his whole life was going to change. Daniel nodded somberly, he'd known already, he'd known for a long time, since just after the wave hit and he'd done the first self-diagnosis.

"That's ok, these things happen you know, you just got to deal with them." Jeff frowned, he couldn't have come to terms with it already, he was obviously in shock, the enormity of it hadn't sunk in yet.

"Ok, Gordon will be along to see you as soon as he get's out of surgery. I'm sure Dr Rose will come too." Jeff then turned to Sister Bridget. "They say doctors make the worlds worst patients, so make sure he behaves himself." Jeff winked and left, Meryl came back in, Sister Bridget gave her a look of sympathy and left, Meryl didn't at that moment understand the look, but it worried her.

"What was that all about?" Daniel looked at her, he had to be the one to tell her, he wanted to be the one to tell her.

"I don't quite no how to say this, so I'm just going to say it. I'm paralysed." Meryl looked at him, Daniel tried to read her expression, it was shocked certainly but what else, he wished she'd say something. "Look, I don't quite know what's going to happen, but you've got your career ahead of you, I'll understand if you don't want anything more to do with me." Still Meryl didn't say anything, she didn't know what to say, an agonising moment later Meryl suddenly stood up and ran out of the door. Daniel watched her go, '_that's that then'_ he thought sadly, Meryl stopped just outside Daniel's door, she hadn't been able to stand the pressure in the there, still she didn't speak, but a silent tear ran down her cheek.

* * *

When Gordon went to see Daniel that afternoon he'd expected him to be smiling and cracking jokes, instead he found him wrapped in misery. 'Jeff was wrong' Gordon thought, 'It was just shock that made him seem so calm'. 

"Alright Daniel." Gordon greeted, he checked Daniel's chart, he was healing remarkably well. Daniel didn't reply, Gordon looked at him, it took him a moment to realise that Daniel hadn't heard him, he hadn't even noticed that he was here. "Daniel." Gordon called, he reached out and touched Daniel's left arm, Daniel jumped.

"Gordon." Daniel acknowledged, Gordon closed his eyes briefly, this was obviously a case for Lucy, he'd talk to him first though.

"Daniel, being paraylsed may seem to be . . ."

"Gordon, remember I'm a doctor ok. I've delivered that lecture, you don't need to give it me." Daniel told him, summoning a small smile, Gordon sighed and continued firmly on, they did say doctors made the worst patients.

"I think I do, you're obviously depressed, life doesn't end . . ."

"You're not listening to me. Yeah being paralysed is going to change my life, I can cope with losing my job, my career, my independence. What I'm having problems coming to terms with is that well, you'd think that if I could deal with that then Meryl could too right? We split up, I gave her the option, I just didn't expect her to take it. I thought we meant more to each other than that." Gordon didn't know what to say, there wasn't anything to say. He left, he had to sort this out somehow, but he couldn't do it alone, Matron and Lucy would know what to do.

* * *

As soon as Gordon left Daniel pulled a book out from under his pillow, he'd asked Nurse Bartlet to fetch it for him from the nurses home. It was a book he'd had years, since his grammer school days, a book he'd always hated, but a book that was going to help him. He opened it to the page he'd been at and unfolded the piece of paper that had been it marking his place, continuing to copy out the passage he wanted. It was difficult writing it neatly left handed and it took him over an hour, until he was satisfied. He then folded it up again writing a name on the front of it, he placed it next to him, when Nurse Bartlet came back he'd ask her to deliver it for him. 

Meanwhile Gordon had found Matron and Lucy, he'd explained the situation to them and as he'd hoped they knew what to do.

"The first thing to do is to talk to Staff Nurse Taylor, find out her side of the story." Matron suggested, looking at Gordon as if that was obvious and he should have thought of it.

"Yes but her side of the story seems obvious." Lucy remarked, "I've seen it many times, though not in such a case as this. Normally it's the fact that the patient can't deal with the fact that he or she is paraylsed. They take it out on their partner, the partner who is trying to help them and that said partner can't cope. That's when they leave, they don't want to commit themselves to a life like that." Gordon nodded, he'd worked on cases just like that, but this one was different in one very important aspect.

"However here the patient is very accepting of his condition. He knows and appreciates the problems it will bring, but as he said himself he can cope with all that, what he's having problems coping and coming to terms with, is the fact that Meryl isn't standing by him." Matron nodded, she herself didn't understand why Meryl wasn't, she'd go and talk to her.

* * *

A little later Nurse Bartlet came back for the last time that evening, it was nearly shift change, she checked Daniels vital signs and noted them down in his chart. She was just about to leave when Daniel stopped her. 

"Nurse Bartlet." Daniel called.

"Something the matter doctor?" Nurse Bartlet asked, Daniel shook his head, picking up the piece of paper and holding it out to her.

"Can you deliver this for me, it's . . it's for Staff Nurse Taylor?" Nurse Bartlet nodded, took the piece of paper and left, leaving Daniel to his thoughts.

As soon as Nurse Bartlet got to the nurses home she knocked on Meryl's door, Meryl opened it only a crack and peered out. Even though Meryl's face was in the shadow, Nurse Bartlet could see she'd been crying, for sometime too, she didn't say anything though, she thought she knew what had happened.

"Doctor Travis asked me to give you this." Nurse Bartlet told her, handing her the piece of paper, Meryl took it, her eyes lighting up, with just a muttered thank you to Nurse Bartlet Meryl shut the door and opened the paper with trembling hands.

_Dear Meryl_

_I don't know what happened today. I hope it was shock, but if it wasn't, if you really don't want to stay with me, like I said I do understand. I just wanted you to know that I love you and I'll always love you. I always hated shakespere at school, but for some reason I still had my book of sonnets. I thought of this one today when thinking about how I could express my feelings, I always did like this one, the only bit of shakespere I do like._

_Sonnet 116_

_Let me not to the marriage of true minds_

_Admit Impediments. Love is not love_

_Which alters when it alteration finds,_

_Or bends with the remover to remove:_

_O no! it is an ever-fixed mark_

_That looks on tempest and is never shaken;_

_It is the star to every wandering bark,_

_Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken._

_Love's not time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks_

_Within his bending sickle's compass come:_

_Love alters not with his brief hours or weeks,_

_But bears it out even to the edge of doom._

_If this be error and upon me proved,_

_I never writ, nor no man ever loved_

_I hope that this lets you know what I feel, I've never been good with words, thank god for shakespere, he sums up everything I'm thinking and feeling. I love you Meryl, whatever you decide. I will love you forever._

_**Daniel**_

Meryl cried while she read the letter, her tear drops smudging the careful printing Daniel had done with his left hand. She clutched the letter to her heart, replaying again for the upteenth time that day the conversation they'd had that morning. It didn't make sense, then she realised what had happened, she'd heard what she'd thought she was going to be hearing. Daniel was different, how could she ever have thought otherwise. Just then another knock came at the door, waking Meryl from her daydream.

Instantly she sprang up, she opened the door, Matron was standing there, Meryl didn't see her pushing past her and practically running towards the hospital. Matron frowned, something had happened, swiftly she followed pausing when she got to Daniel's door.

Daniel had been in a dream ever since he'd given Nurse Bartlet his letter, time seemed to stand still, as he waited thinking all the time, will she come? He was answered by the sound of footsteps and then Meryl burst in the room.

"Daniel I love you too, I heard what I thought you were going to say, not what you actually said. I thought . . I don't know what I thought. I . . ."

"Hey." Daniel held up his hands, "Slow down a minute there, I can't keep up, I heard nothing after you told me you loved me."  
Meryl opened her mouth to begin again but Daniel stopped her, he'd reached underneath his pillow again and he'd withdrawn a small velvet covered box. "I bought this ages ago, I was going to give it to you that day at lunch but the wave kind of spoiled it."

Meryl held her breath and sat down in the chair she'd occupied for the last few days. Daniel opened the box, exposing a small ring with a red stone in the centre.

"I'm sorry I can't get down on one knee. I love you Meryl and I always will, till death us do part. Will you marry me?" Meryl stared at Daniel, Daniel prayed to every god he knew, outside the door Matron held her breath.

"Considering the way I've treated you today, I should be asking will you marry me." Meryl finally replied, with the biggest smile ever Daniel with trembling hands put the ring on Meryl's finger. Matron started walking down the corridor, she hadn't been needed after all, all was now right in the world.

* * *

The news of Daniel and Meryl's engagement spread swiftly around the hospital, everybody was pleased for them, though a few people wondered to themselves what Meryl was letting herself in for. There was talk of a party which Gordon immeadiately postponed for a few weeks, even Daniel couldn't recover that fast. Tom and Katy were now at home, they were pretty much recovered though that didn't stop Gordon and Jill from spoiling them, they were going back to school next week, Charlie had already gone back, she was doing her O levels so couldn't take that much time off. Lizzy after the memorial service insisted on going back to the hospital, she needed something to do to take her mind of it, Alun kept a close eye on her. 

A week after Daniel's proposal Meryl went to see Matron, Matron already knew what she was going to say, had in fact been waiting for her to come and see her all week.

"Matron." Meryl knocked on Matron's office door, Matron looked up from her endless pile of paperwork, she put her pen down, motioned for Meryl to come inside and looked at her staff nurse.

"What is it staff nurse?" Matron asked, knowing full well what it was already.

"I want to move out of the nurses home, I've found a flat, this is the address." Meryl handed over a piece of paper, Matron looked at it, she knew the address it wasn't far from here, there would be no problem with this, after all she knew for a fact that Daniel had been living at the nurses home since just after christmas.

"That's fine, when?" Meryl's eyebrows raised, she'd expected a problem, she didn't know why but she had.

"End of the week." Matron nodded agreement and Meryl went to tell Daniel.

* * *

Over the next few weeks Daniel recovered at a rate never seen before while being a typically bad patient, Gordon reckoned he knew why, it always helped a lot if the patient was happy. Three weeks after the wave hit Gordon had something to tell Daniel that he hadn't expected to be able to say for at least another two weeks if not more. 

"End of the week you can go home." Gordon told Daniel, as he wrote in his chart. Daniel hadn't really been listening and even though he thought that's what he'd heard Gordon say, he wasn't sure though.

"What did you say? End of the week?" Gordon nodded, Daniel grinned, "About time too, I can't be doing with this patient thing, foods horrible and you never get a moments peace." It was now Gordon's turn to smile, Daniel had been the worst patient he'd ever known, wearing thin even Sister Bridget's patience.

"You're to take it easy though." Gordon reminded him, Daniel rolled his eyes.

"I don't see why, I'm fit I know I'm fit. There isn't anything wrong with me now, hell if it wasn't for the damn paraylisis thing I could be going back to work, well if I had a job I could that is." Gordon didn't know what to say to that, it was pretty much true, there wasn't much wrong with Daniel now. He would have to get used to the different muscles that he would use and it would be much harder for him to get about now than it had before, but he had been in very good physical condition, he wouldn't have too much trouble.

"Now you don't give Sister Bridget anymore grief you hear." Gordon warned him, Daniel just smiled, he'd be good now or at least as good as he knew how to be, he was going home.

* * *

That afternoon Lucy went to see Daniel, more as a colleague than as the in-house shrink because Daniel didn't need a shrink, but protocol dictated that a patient like Daniel had to have his mental state evaluated before they'd let him go. 

"Good afternoon." Daniel greeted from his wheelchair by the window, Lucy smiled to herself she'd been told by the ward sister he was in bed, Daniel regularly got sick of that however and went walkabout round the hospital, the fact that he'd stayed in his room was remarkable.

"Afternoon, you all set to go home?" Lucy asked, Daniel laughed.

"Overly I should think, Meryl's sorting everything out, though what there is that needs to be sorted is a mystery to me." Daniel paused giving Lucy a look she often gave her patients. "Enough about me, have you and Jeff set a date yet?" Lucy smiled, they'd told everybody about their engagement about a week and a half ago, she still got a happy feeling everytime somebody mentioned it.

"Yes, the fourth of July this year." Lucy replied, her eyes sparkling.

"Made any other decisions, you know flowers, best man, food, best man?" Daniel asked not being at all subtle, Lucy shook her head.

"Yes we've made some other decisions but not the one you want to know about. Jeff will decide about the best man this week or next week." Daniel nodded, then almost nonchantly asked

"Maid of honour?" Lucy rolled her eyes.

"No, that too will be decided soon. What about you and Meryl? You made any decisions?" Lucy asked, deliberately changing the subject, Daniel took the hint.

* * *

That evening Jeff was on his way back to the hospital after house calls. He hummed to himself as he drove along the cliff top road, tapping his fingers on the steering wheel and smiled to himself, thinking about Lucy and the date they had later. He turned the corner not noticing the lorry until it was to late. He wrenched the wheel left and slammed on the brakes, trying desperately to avoid a collision. His car spun out of control and fishtailed off the side of the cliff landing with a sickening crunch on the jagged rocks below. Instantly the two drivers of the lorry ran to the cliff edge, what they saw made their hearts sink. The older driver turned to his apprentice. 

"Ed, run as fast as you can to the nearest telephone, phone the police, an ambulance, fire brigade and a mechanic."

Ed didn't hear him, staring at the twisted and crushed hulk of metal that just a minute ago had been a car, Ed thought of the driver and a knot formed in his stomach, leaning into the bushes which miraculously seemed to be undamaged, he threw up. Mick shook his head, poor kid was in shock, he'd feel worse later, if he hadn't crashed the lorry into the hillside, if he hadn't taken that corner so fast, they wouldn't have blocked the road.

"Ed!" Mick shouted, Ed turned round wiping his mouth on his sleeve. "Run to the nearest telephone, get the police, the firebrigade, an ambulance and a mechanic. You hear me?" Ed nodded and ran off.

Mick stood there, not quite sure what to do. Suddenly he had a horrible thought, what if another car came? He ran to his lorry and pulled out a sheet of plywood, part of the consignment he was carrying. He then rummaged in his 'tool box' for the paint he knew was there. In big letters he wrote the word STOP, he then ran down the road to fix it to something, anything to prevent another accident.

* * *

_  
'Dring, dring. Dring, dring.'_ the phone at The Royal rang, Gordon who was passing on his way home picked it up. 

"The Royal." he answered, "Yes I know it . . ten minutes . . ok we're on our way." Gordon replaced the receiver and thought for a moment, before he picked up the receiver again and dialled a number.

"Helicoptor ambulance base." Paul answered, he was over at the local RAF base with the helicoptor, he'd just qualified as the pilot, this would be his first actual shout.

"This is Gordon, there's been an accident over on the cliff top road, at Leewards bend, a cars in the sea. The fire brigade are lowering a couple of men down so they can help with the rescue.

"Ok, I got that. We're on our way." Paul told him hanging up, Gordon pressed the disconnecter button down and dialled another number. Over at his house Dr Rose had just sat down to dinner, frowning crossly he got up to answer the phone.

"Dr Rose." he snapped.

"This is The Royal, it's an emergancy we need you right away." Dr Rose sighed, thinking of his steak and ale pie, why did he ever become a doctor.

"I'm on my way." Dr Rose said between clenched teeth, slamming the phone down. Gordon grimaced, Dr Rose annoyed was not pretty. He then depressed the disconnector button for the last time and dialled home, to tell Jill that he was going to be late.

* * *

Ten minutes later it was a hive of activity over at Leewards bend Gordon saw as he pulled up in his car, the police had arrived and had closed off the road, the fire brigade had managed to get the lorry to the side of the road, out of the way and were now lowering a couple of men down to Jeff's car, Gordon ran over to the firemen, he needed to get down there, in the distance the sound of rotor blades could be heard. 

Down the bottom of the cliff, the first fireman reached through the drivers window and checked for a pulse, it was faint but steady, he nodded to his colleague who gestured for Gordon to be lowered down. Gordon at the top of the cliff, looked at the car with a vague sense of unease, as he got closer and closer the feeling grew worse, when he saw the driver his worst fears were realised.

"Oh my god." Gordon muttered.

"Doc?" the firman questioned, Gordon shook his head as if to clear it, he had to be calm, he had to be professional, for Jeff's sake.

"I need to get to him, can you open this door?" the fireman shook his head, he'd already tried. "What about the passenger door?" the fireman looked over at his colleague on the other side of the car, he nodded. With difficulty Gordon got over to the other side of the car, he opened the passenger door, the fireman then leaned in and swept the remains of the windscreen off the seat, Gordon then clambered over to his colleague to give him a thorough examination, cursing whatever ill luck had caused this to happen.

* * *

Back at the royal Lucy was starting to worry, for the past twenty minutes a vague sense of unease had come over her. 'Jeff should have been back by now' Lucy thought to herself as she stared at the paperwork, not seeing it, instead seeing Jeff's face. _'It's just parinoa talking, he's just a bit late, you know how talkative some patients can be.' _Lucy shook her head it was no use, she'd never get anything else done tonight. 

With a sigh of relief Lucy decided the paperwork could wait and began packing up to go home, they'd leave as soon as Jeff got here. Meanwhile over in her office Matron put down the phone, she would now have to do something that Mr Middleditch had had to do before, only this time the news wasn't so grave but with the waiting the agony would be the same. Matron sighed and decided she couldn't put off the inevitable, though ignorance Matron decided truly must be bliss.

* * *

Back at Leewards bend they were in difficulties, the front of Jeff's car was crushed, the steering wheel column had been forced back, pinning Jeff to his seat, the wntire weight of the engine and all of the components had come down on Jeff's legs crushing them. The young doctor literally couldn't move, not that he was trying to, he'd been unconcious from the moment the car had crashed because of a massive head injury. 

Gordon could tell from his examination that that was the worst injury he'd sustained, it was a miracle really considering the horrendous crash. Gordon looked up, they were lowering equipment and two more firefighter, they were going to try to cut the front part of the car away, it was a proceadure that would take a while. The helicoptor ambulance had landed half a mile away to conserve fuel, as soon as he was free they would relaunch and take him to The Royal.

Gordon checked his watch, it had been twenty minutes since Jeff had crashed, it would take probably an hour to free him, he would be in surgery in an hour and twenty minutes at the most Gordon hoped, any more time delay and the consequences didn't bear thinking about.

* * *

"Dr Klein" Matron called, Lucy turned round and went back down the corridor, she'd been heading for reception, she'd left some papers there. 

"What is it Matron?" Lucy asked, she then saw Matron's face and her smile disappeared. "What's happened?"

* * *

Eventually they got Jeff out of the car, they strapped him to a rigid wooden stretcher and winched him up, they then winched Gordon up, he would be needed in surgery back at The Royal. They then flew back as fast as they could, once there they got Jeff into surgery as quickly as they could. An X-ray had revealed that the head injury was even worse than Gordon had feared, a specialist was flying down from London to assist in the operation, he'd arrive in about an hour but until then it was up to Dr Rose. 

Lucy waited with Matron outside the operating room in silence, all Lucy's thoughts were focused on the man lying on that operating table, the man she loved with all her heart, the man who may soon die from an accident, for no reason at all. _It was so unfair_ Lucy raged, _Why did this have to happen? Hadn't they all suffered enough recently?_ Not far away Daniel and Meryl sat together waiting, Daniel had been released from hospital that afternoon, he'd hung around until her shift was over and so they had heard the news. Both of them knew the pain that Lucy was going through, they knew they couldn't offer any comfort at the moment, so they stayed and waited.

* * *

The operation took seven long hours, seven hours in which Lucy, Matron,Daniel and Meryl waited. Holding their breath everytime they heard a door opening, twice Dr Rose had come out of the operating theatre to fetch something, but he was in such a hurry he hadn't had time to stop and tell them how things were going. 

"The longer it goes on, means at least that Jeff . . well it means that he hasn't given up the fight yet." Daniel observed, he was tired and every part of him ached to go home, to go to sleep, but he couldn't, he needed to be here, to lend support whatever the outcome. Jeff had become a good friend, he needed to be there for him even if he didn't know it.

"I guess, but it also could mean there was more damage than they thought." Meryl replied, resting her head on Daniel's shoulder.

"Perhaps." Meryl heard him say, then she felt him stiffen, he was listening so she listened too. She heard the door from the operating room open, she saw the light spill out into the dark corridor, she saw Gordon step out. She watched him as he walked over to where Lucy and Matron were sitting, they conversed for a couple of minutes, no tears Daniel noted probably good news, no tears Meryl noted probably bad news.

Then Lucy and Matron stood up and with Matron supporting Lucy they walked down the corridor, that could lead to intensive care, or that could lead to a quiet room where Lucy could stay the night, so she wouldn't have to be alone. Gordon then turned and walked in their direction, he'd already loosened his mask so that it was hanging around his neck, he now took of his surgical cap and ran his hand through his hair.

"Good or bad?" Daniel asked, he couldn't stand not knowing anymore.

"He's alive but barely, he's completely dependant on the iron lung. I don't think he'll make it." Gordon observed wearily.

Meryl closed her eyes, poor Lucy, she'd go and see her in the morning, let her know that she was there for her, that she understood. Gordon shook his head faintly, he was having problems accepting his own statement. He was good friends with Jeff, after all Jeff had been his best man. David would have been his best man Gordon knew, but he'd died just like Jeff was going too. It wasn't fair. Why did his colleagues have to dies like this? Accidents, no meaning or purpose, just an accident. Daniel read all this in his eyes, knowing as he spoke that this wasn't the time, but what choice did he have.

"You'll be looking for a new doctor then, at first in a locum position but probably permenant?" Gordon's eyes narrowed, he didn't want to think about this now, he wanted to go home, he was tired but then wasn't everybody.

"Yes, I'll draft an advert in morning unless you've got something else in mind?" Gordon replied, hoping his reply would make Daniel realise now wasn't the time, he knew already he wouldn't have an answer, except he did.

"Why? Unless I'm very much mistaken you've already got a good doctor right here." Meryl stared at Daniel, he couldn't be meaning what she thought he was meaning, it wasn't possible. Gordon had now been awake for about twenty-one hours and hadn't yet grasped what it was that Daniel was saying.

"Who?" Gordon asked.

"Me." Daniel replied, Gordon looked at him in shock, he could see he was serious, but it just wasn't possible.

"Now hang on a minute, you only got discharged today. Even if it wasn't for . . well you wouldn't be able to go back to work for at least another month or so." Gordon protested, Daniel shook his head.

"That's not so and you know it. It would be so for any ordinary patient, but I've not been ordinary have I? I'm ready Gordon, I'm fit enough. I can do nearly all of it, the only thing I can't do is house calls and we could trade those. I see more patients during surgery hours or something. I can do this Gordon and you know I can."

Daniel made his case, hoping he sounded more confident than he felt, he wasn't at all sure he could pull it off, but that was something only time could tell. He'd been born to be a doctor, it was a part of him as much as being a soldier was to a soldier, you just couldn't take it away.

"This hospital is now riding the wave, we wanted to modernise and hell we've modernised. So much so we're now more modern than some city hospitals. We're revolutionising the way emergancy medicine is practised, that means people have to change their way of thinking. Society has always said cripples are useless, but why is that so? The only difference between me and you is that you can walk and I can't. I'm just as good a doctor as you, well actually maybe not but that's experience something I can get. At least give it a try." Daniel finished, Gordon bit his lip, Daniel was right as he nearly always was. Meryl held her breath, he'd been convincing but then he always was.

"Ok, there's no harm in trying. I'll talk to Mr Caldwell about it in the morning. We'll see how it goes." Daniel nodded, pleased that he could now go back to work, he'd missed it badly. Part of him though was sad that it could only be this way because of what had happened, but at least a good thing had come from what was just a tragic accident.

"Thanks Gordon, guess I'll see you tomorrow." Daniel checked his watch, "No actually it's tomorrow already. I'll see you in a few hours." Gordon nodded and then watched as Daniel skillfully wheeled his was out with Meryl beside him, they made a good couple and if anybody deserved happiness it was them.

Gordon then looked at his watch and groaned, it was nearly 3AM, just time to go home get a few hours sleep and then be back here for eight thirty. He wanted to go home, he needed to see Jill, he hadn't seen her since lunch which he thought to himself was about the longest time they'd been apart since well, since he'd found out she was pregnant. He knew it was stupid but he had to see her regularly just to check she was still there, but he knew she always would be. They had a life together, everything was going to be alright.

In the iron lung room Lucy sat next to Jeff crying silently.  
Camera fades out on Jeff's pale face

**The End**


End file.
